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Opioid-use DisorderPhase 4NCT03993392

SUBLOCADE Rapid Initiation Study

A Phase 4 study testing TM buprenorphine and SUBLOCADE in people with Opioid-use Disorder, run by Indivior Inc. at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of initiating SUBLOCADE™ treatment following a shorter period of transmucosal (TM) buprenorphine treatment. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Opioid-use Disorder
What is being tested?
TM buprenorphine and SUBLOCADE
Type of treatment
Injection or infusion
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
26 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
29 Aug 2019to 26 Dec 2019
Phase
Phase 4
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Signed the informed consent form (ICF) and have the ability to comply with the requirements and restrictions listed therein.
  • Documented history of moderate or severe opioid use disorder (OUD) as defined by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5).
  • Seeking buprenorphine-assisted treatment for OUD and is an appropriate candidate in the opinion of the Investigator or medically qualified sub-Investigator.
  • A female subject is eligible to participate if she is not pregnant (as confirmed by a negative urine human chorionic gonadotrophin test), is not lactating and, if of childbearing potential, agrees not to become pregnant while on the study and use medically acceptable means of contraception while on the study.

Who cannot join

  • Current diagnosis, other than OUD, requiring chronic opioid treatment.
  • Meet DSM-5 criteria for severe alcohol-use disorder.
  • Has received any medication assisted treatment within 2 weeks.
  • Concurrent or prior treatment with any long-acting depot form of buprenorphine containing products.
  • Concurrent treatment with another investigational agent or enrolment in another clinical study (except for an observational study) or treatment with another investigational agent within 30 days prior to screening.
  • Concurrent treatment with medications contraindicated for use with buprenorphine as per local prescribing information, including benzodiazepines or any other central nervous system depressants.
Show all 16Show fewer
  • Significant traumatic injury, major surgical procedure (as defined by the Investigator) within 30 days prior to Day 1 or still recovering from prior surgery.
  • Any other active medical condition, organ disease or concurrent medication or treatment that may either compromise subject safety or interfere with study endpoints.
  • Congenital long QT syndrome, history of prolonged QT in the 3 months prior to screening, or a corrected QT interval (Fridericia's - QTcF) >450 msec (male) or >470 msec (female), or history of risk factors for Torsades de Pointes. Known personal and/or family history of congenital QT prolongation, or taking Class IA antiarrhythmic medications (e.g., quinidine, procainamide, disopyramide) or Class III antiarrhythmic medications (e.g., sotalol, amiodarone) or other mediations that prolong the QT interval. Known family history of sudden unexplained death.
  • Total bilirubin ≥1.5*upper limit of normal (ULN), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≥3*ULN, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≥5*ULN, serum creatinine >2*ULN at screening.
  • Abdominal area unsuitable for SC injections.
  • Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, a medical or psychiatric illness/social situation that would limit compliance with study requirements or compromise the ability of the subject to provide written informed consent.
  • Known allergy or hypersensitivity to buprenorphine, ATRIGEL or their excipients.
  • Subject to court order requiring treatment for OUD.
  • Subjects who are unable, in the opinion of the Investigator or Indivior, to comply fully with the study requirements including those who are currently incarcerated or pending incarceration/legal action.
  • Clinic staff and/or subjects who have a financial interest in the study or who have an immediate family member of either the clinic staff and/or Indivior employees directly involved in the study.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Hassman Research Institute

    Berlin, New Jersey, 08009

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: An Open-label, Rapid Initiation Study for Extended-Release Buprenorphine Subcutaneous Injection (SUBLOCADE)

This study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of initiating SUBLOCADE™ treatment following a shorter period of transmucosal (TM) buprenorphine treatment.

Read the detailed description

Currently patients who are appropriate candidates for SUBLOCADE™ injection for subcutaneous (SC) use must initiate treatment with TM buprenorphine for a minimum of 7 days before receiving their first injection. This study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of starting SUBLOCADE treatment following a shorter period.

Adults with moderate to severe opioid use disorder (OUD) not currently receiving medication assisted treatment will be recruited to participate. Prior to receiving TM buprenorphine, subjects will report their last opioid use and be experiencing at least mild withdrawal. Subjects will receive at least one dose of TM buprenorphine to ensure tolerability and that they show no evidence of precipitated withdrawal. If no evidence of intolerability or no precipitated withdrawal occurs, subjects will receive a single injection of SUBLOCADE and remain in the clinic for approximately 48 hours after the injection to assess for safety and tolerability.

Being tested
TM buprenorphine, SUBLOCADE
Medical subject headings
Opioid-Related Disorders

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • TM buprenorphineDrug

    Also called suboxone, subutex, belbuca, zubsolv

    4mg TM buprenorphine, investigator choice as to brand

  • SUBLOCADEDrug

    Also called extended release buprenorphine

    300mg subcutaneous injection

Study groups in NCT03993392
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
TM buprenorphine followed by SUBLOCADE 300 mgExperimentalParticipants with a diagnosis of OUD stopped use of their current opioid prior to coming to the clinic to be assessed for withdrawal symptoms. If confirmed to be in withdrawal, participants were administered 4 mg transmucosal (TM) buprenorphine. If tolerated without sensitivity, clinical signs of sedation, or precipitated withdrawal, 300 mg SUBLOCADE was administered. Following SUBLOCADE administration, participants remained in the clinic for approximately 48 hours and were assessed for safety and tolerability, as well as for any signs of precipitated withdrawal. Participants returned to the clinic weekly, until the end-of-treatment (EOT) visit (28 days after SUBLOCADE administration).
Receives: Drug: TM buprenorphine; Drug: SUBLOCADE

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Participants Who Experienced Any Precipitated Withdrawal Within One Hour After SUBLOCADE Administration

    Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) is an 11-item instrument used to assess signs and symptoms of opioid withdrawal. The score is the sum of the responses for a total range of 0-48. The COWS is commonly used by clinicians treating patients with buprenorphine to monitor the severity of withdrawal. COWS scores below 5 are considered not indicative of withdrawal. Scores from 5 to 12 are considered mild withdrawal; from 13 to 24 moderate withdrawal; 25 to 36 moderately severe withdrawal, and 37-48 severe withdrawal.

    Precipitated withdrawal was defined as in increase in Clinical Opioid Withdrawal Scale (COWS) score by ≥6 from the pre-SUBLOCADE value within 1 hour SUBLOCADE injection.

    Measured: Day 1: Pre-SUBLOCADE evaluation taken after TM buprenorphine treatment and prior to injection: SUBLOCADE evaluation taken within one hour of SUBLOCADE injection

Secondary outcomes (6)
  1. Participants With Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events (TEAE)

    A TEAE was an AE that started after the administration of TM buprenorphine for induction on Day 1.

    TEAE=any untoward medical occurrence that develops or worsens in severity after dispensation of the study drug and does not necessarily have a causal relationship to the study drug. Severity was rated by the investigator as mild, moderate and severe, with severe= a marked limitation in activity. Relation of AE to treatment was determined by the investigator. Serious AEs include death, a life-threatening AE, inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization, persistent or significant disability or incapacity, a congenital anomaly or birth defect, OR an important medical event that jeopardized the patient and required medical or surgical intervention to prevent one of the outcomes listed in this definition. AEs of special interest include SUBOCADE depot removal, occurrences of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) >3*upper limit of normal (ULN) and bilirubin >2*ULN.

    Measured: Day 1 to Day 28

  2. Participants With Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events (TEAE) Within 48 Hours Post-SUBLOCADE Injection

    A TEAE was an AE that started after the administration of TM buprenorphine for induction on Day 1.

    TEAE=any untoward medical occurrence that develops or worsens in severity after dispensation of the study drug and does not necessarily have a causal relationship to the study drug. Severity was rated by the investigator as mild, moderate and severe, with severe= a marked limitation in activity. Relation of AE to treatment was determined by the investigator. Serious AEs include death, a life-threatening AE, inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization, persistent or significant disability or incapacity, a congenital anomaly or birth defect, OR an important medical event that jeopardized the patient and required medical or surgical intervention to prevent one of the outcomes listed in this definition. AEs of special interest include SUBOCADE depot removal, occurrences of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) >3*upper limit of normal (ULN) and bilirubin >2*ULN.

    Measured: Day 1 SUBLOCADE injection up to 48 hours later

  3. Cumulative Number of Participants Who Experienced a >=6 Point Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) Total Score Increase After SUBLOCADE Administration From the Pre-SUBLOCADE Value at Key Timepoints

    COWS is an 11-item instrument used to assess signs and symptoms of opioid withdrawal. The score is the sum of the responses for a total range of 0-48. The COWS is commonly used by clinicians treating patients with buprenorphine to monitor the severity of withdrawal. COWS scores below 5 are considered not indicative of withdrawal. Scores from 5 to 12 are considered mild withdrawal; from 13 to 24 moderate withdrawal; 25 to 36 moderately severe withdrawal, and 37-48 severe withdrawal.

    Cumulative number of participants in key timepoints who had a COWS total score increase of ≥6 points from the pre-SUBLOCADE value.

    Measured: Day 1: Pre-SUBLOCADE evaluation taken after TM buprenorphine treatment and prior to injection: SUBLOCADE evaluations taken 1, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after SUBLOCADE injection.

  4. COWS Total Score Normalized Area Under the Curve (AUC) Through Key Timepoints Post SUBLOCADE Injection

    The area under the curve (AUC) for COWS total score from the pre-SUBLOCADE value to a later time point were calculated using the linear trapezoidal method. For each analysis time interval (AUC0-1hr, AUC0-6hrs, AUC0-12hrs, AUC0-24hrs, AUC0-48hrs) the AUC value was normalized across participants for the actual duration (in hours) of the time interval. The normalized AUC for COWS can be interpreted as the averaged AUC per hour or the averaged COWS over a time interval, as if the COWS was measured hourly during that time interval.

    Participants were included in a given interval if they had a pre-SUBLOCADE COWS assessment and a COWS assessment at the terminal timepoint for the interval.

    Measured: SUBLOCADE injection on Day 1 through 1, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after SUBLOCADE injection

  5. Total Score on COWS At Timepoints During the Treatment Period

    Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) is an 11-item instrument used to assess signs and symptoms of opioid withdrawal. The score is the sum of the responses for a total range of 0-48. The COWS is commonly used by clinicians treating patients with buprenorphine to monitor the severity of withdrawal. COWS scores below 5 are considered not indicative of withdrawal. Scores from 5 to 12 are considered mild withdrawal; from 13 to 24 moderate withdrawal; 25 to 36 moderately severe withdrawal, and 37-48 severe withdrawal.

    Measured: Day 1 to Day 29

  6. Total Score on Opioid Craving Visual Analogue Scale (OC-VAS) At Timepoints During the Treatment Period

    Participants indicated their level of craving for opioids by marking a 100mm visual analogue scale where 0 = no craving and 100 = maximal craving.

    Measured: Day 1 to Day 29

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted20 Jun 2019
  2. Study start29 Aug 2019
  3. Primary completion26 Dec 2019
  4. Study completion26 Dec 2019

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
26 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03993392
Sponsor's protocol ID
INDV-6000-403
Status last verified
Mar 2025
First submitted
19 Jun 2019
Last updated
25 Mar 2025
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Hassman H, Strafford S, Shinde SN, Heath A, Boyett B, Dobbins RL. Open-label, rapid initiation pilot study for extended-release buprenorphine subcutaneous injection. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2023 Jan 2;49(1):43-52. doi: 10.1080/00952990.2022.2106574. Epub 2022 Aug 24.

    PubMed 36001871
  • Mariani JJ, Dobbins RL, Heath A, Gray F, Hassman H. Open-label investigation of rapid initiation of extended-release buprenorphine in patients using fentanyl and fentanyl analogs. Am J Addict. 2024 Jan;33(1):8-14. doi: 10.1111/ajad.13484. Epub 2023 Nov 8.

    PubMed 37936553

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 4 study testing TM buprenorphine and SUBLOCADE in people with Opioid-use Disorder, run by Indivior Inc. at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 16 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 Mar 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 9 Dec 2020). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Participants Who Experienced Any Precipitated Withdrawal Within One Hour After SUBLOCADE Administration (time frame: Day 1: Pre-SUBLOCADE evaluation taken after TM buprenorphine treatment and prior to injection: SUBLOCADE evaluation taken within one hour of SUBLOCADE injection). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03993392, which also lists 2 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 25 Mar 2025; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 29 Oct 2026.

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