Sublocade (Buprenorphine) for Depression

Overview
Sublocade is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of moderate to severe opioid use disorder. It is intended for individuals who have already started treatment with a transmucosal (through the mouth’s mucous membrane) buprenorphine product or who are currently being treated with buprenorphine. Treatment with Sublocade should be part of a comprehensive program that includes counseling and psychosocial support. Sublocade is also known by its drug name, buprenorphine.

Sublocade belongs to a class of medications known as partial opioid agonists. It works by binding to the same receptors in the brain as opioids, but it activates them less strongly. This helps reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms without producing the same high or dangerous side effects as full opioids.

How do I take it?
Prescribing information states that Sublocade is given as a subcutaneous (under the skin) injection by a healthcare provider. It is injected into the abdomen, thigh, buttock, or upper arm. The typical schedule includes two initial monthly doses, followed by monthly maintenance doses. The injection site should be rotated with each dose.

Sublocade must only be administered by healthcare professionals and is dispensed through a restricted program called the Sublocade REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy) Program. 

Side effects
Common side effects of Sublocade include constipation, headache, nausea, itching at the injection site, vomiting, increased liver enzyme levels, fatigue, and pain at the injection site.

Rare but serious side effects may include life-threatening respiratory depression (difficulty breathing), serious allergic reactions (such as swelling or difficulty breathing), serious injection site reactions, adrenal insufficiency (a condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones), neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (a withdrawal condition in newborns exposed to opioids in the womb), liver injury, and opioid withdrawal symptoms if the drug is stopped abruptly. Use of benzodiazepines or other central nervous system depressants with Sublocade increases the risk of severe respiratory problems or death.

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Label: Sublocade — Buprenorphine Solution — DailyMed