How is Sublocade administered?

Q: How is Sublocade administered?

Sublocade is given by a health care provider once a month by subcutaneous (under the skin) injection (with at least 26 days between doses). Your doctor will order this medicine for you, and you will receive it in a clinic or doctor's office.

Medically reviewed by Leigh Ann Anderson, PharmD. Last updated on March 8, 2025.

Official Answer by Drugs.com

Sublocade (buprenorphine) is given by a health care provider once a month by subcutaneous (under the skin) injection in the abdominal (stomach), thigh, buttock, or back of the upper arm (with at least 26 days between doses). Your doctor will order this medicine for you, and you will receive it a clinic or doctor's office.

Sublocade is only available through a restricted program called the Sublocade REMS Program due to risk of harm or death due to intravenous (IV) self-administration. Sublocade may reduce the burden of taking daily medication for patients in recovery. You will receive more information about this program from your doctor.

Sublocade is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe opioid use disorder (OUD) in patients who have initially started treatment with a single dose of a transmucosal buprenorphine product or who are already being treated with buprenorphine. It is used as part of a complete treatment plan that includes counseling and psychosocial support.

Sublocade changes to a solid "depot" form after the injection. Your medicine will slowly release from this depot. You may feel a small bump under your skin after you receive the injection. Do not try to remove the depot, rub or massage the area where injected. Do not let belts or waistbands rub against the injection site.

What is the dose of Sublocade?

Sublocade is available in a prefilled syringe as a 100 mg per 0.5 mL or 300 mg per 1.5 mL strength of buprenorphine. The recommended dose of Sublocade following stabilization with transmucosal buprenorphine is 300 mg monthly for the first two months followed by a maintenance dose of 100 mg monthly.

Patients not currently taking buprenorphine should receive an initial dose (e.g. 4 mg) of transmucosal buprenorphine before administering the first injection of Sublocade. Monitor patients in a healthcare setting after injection with Subllcade to assess for symptoms of worsening withdrawal or sedation. Patients’ symptoms should be stable or improving prior to release from the healthcare setting.
The second injection of Sublocade may be administered as early as one week after the first injection. Injection sites should be rotated between doses.
Administer maintenance injections at least 26 days apart.

Your doctor may choose to increase the maintenance dose to 300 mg monthly if you tolerate the 100 mg dose, but do not have an acceptable clinical response, as shown by self-reported use of opioids or positive opioid urine drug screens.

If you miss a dose, contact your doctor as soon as possible to reschedule your appointment.

This is not all the information you need to know about Sublocade (buprenorphine) for safe and effective use and does not replace your doctor's directions. Review the full product information and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.

How and where is the Sublocade injection given?

Sublocade is administered as an injection just under the skin (subcutaneous) of your stomach (abdomen), thigh, buttock, or back of the upper arm. After the first two injections, you will receive it monthly (with at least 26 days between doses). Continue reading

Is Sublocade covered by Medicaid?

Most patients with Medicaid typically pay low or no cost for Sublocade (buprenorphine) if it is a preferred drug treatment by their state health plan. Your health plan and costs are determined by your state Medicaid program. Continue reading

Is Probuphine better than Sublocade?

Probuphine and Sublocade are long-acting forms of buprenorphine, but the Probuphine brand has been discontinued in the United States. There is no evidence that one was better than the other. They were both used in long-term medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD). Continue reading

How is Sublocade administered?

What is the dose of Sublocade?

Related questions

Read next

How and where is the Sublocade injection given?

Is Sublocade covered by Medicaid?

Is Probuphine better than Sublocade?

See also:

Aimovig

Nurtec ODT

Botox

Depakote

Topamax

Emgality

Timolol

Valproic acid

Divalproex sodium

Propranolol

Related medical questions

Drug information

Related support groups