A new prescription drug for opioid addiction and chronic addiction has been invented but unfortunately it has not been approved just yet by any governing regulatory body in any country. The drug, which is known as Probuphine has been rejected for this purpose by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office but the reason why is not quite obvious just yet.

According to WELT online the problem is in the way the drug is dispensed somehow. It is actually implanted in the patient and programmed to deliver the medication over a period of six months. This type of drug delivery is also known as subcutaneous prescription drug delivery. The idea is that the drug delivery system and the drug are technologically merged to become delivery device and drug in one.

The drug company Titan developed this continuous drug delivery system that consists of a small, rod made out of ethylene vinyl acetate and the drug buprenorphine. The drug is then slowly released at continuous levels at a constant rate that mimics a series puff intravenous injections.

It is expected that Titan Pharmaceuticals will probably approach the FDA in the U.S. for further approval of the drug by 2009. Products based on ProNeura technology can provide controlled drug release on an outpatient basis over extended periods of up to 6-12 months. Titan also has two other products, gallium maltolate and DITPA, in earlier stages of development.

Keep in mind that when reading any blog online about drugs in development that there are laws that govern forward looking statements about drug development and that this blog, like all others online is based on speculation of what possibly a company like Titan might do with this new drug for addiction and pain.