Brixadi (Buprenorphine) for Depression

Overview
Brixadi is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of moderate to severe opioid use disorder in individuals who have started treatment with a transmucosal buprenorphine product or are already being treated with buprenorphine. It should be used as part of an overall treatment plan that includes counseling and psychosocial support. Brixadi is only available through a restricted program called the Brixadi Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) and can only be ordered and dispensed by certified healthcare providers and pharmacies. Brixadi is also known by its drug name, buprenorphine.

Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, meaning it binds to opioid receptors but activates them less strongly than full opioid agonists, such as heroin or oxycodone. Scientists believe that buprenorphine helps reduce opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms while also blocking the effects of other opioids, lowering the risk of misuse and relapse.

How do I take it?
Prescribing information states that Brixadi is administered as a subcutaneous (under the skin) injection by a healthcare provider. It is available in both weekly and monthly formulations. The injection sites include the buttock, thigh, abdomen, or upper arm, and the injection site should be rotated with each dose. Brixadi should be taken exactly as prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Side effects
Common side effects of Brixadi include injection site pain, headache, constipation, nausea, injection site discoloration, itching at the injection site, insomnia, and urinary tract infections.

Rare but serious side effects may include respiratory depression (severely slowed or difficult breathing), adrenal insufficiency (a condition where the body does not produce enough stress hormones), severe allergic reactions, liver damage, neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (withdrawal symptoms in newborns exposed to opioids in the womb), and opioid withdrawal symptoms if discontinued abruptly.

For more information about this treatment, visit:

Label: Brixadi — Buprenorphine Injection — DailyMed