The Life Cycle of a Drug: New Formulation

Referring back to the bar graph in my original post for this series, the next industry strategy to be addressed is extension of the life cycle of a drug by production of a new formulation. Nucynta was approved in 2008 and Nucynta ER [extended release] is the new formulation just approved. There are people in chronic pain who are best served by an opioid narcotic analgesic that can be taken once daily.

Some controversy attends this approval because previous members of this class of very addictive drugs have been abused by crushing them so that immediate uptake of a large dose becomes possible. Nucynta ER has been formulated to make this kind of abuse more difficult.

J&J Gets FDA Approval Of Potentially Addictive Opioid Nucynta

Nucynta ER Approved For Moderate To Severe Chronic Pain Control