Purdue Pharma: Abuse rates of OxyContin significantly down three years after reformulation

STAMFORD, Conn. — Purdue Pharma on Thursday presented results from two epidemiological studies evaluating the reformulation of OxyContin, which occurred in 2010, that showed a marked decrease in rates of abuse, addiction and poisoning in the first year after the product was introduced to the marketplace with physicochemcial properties intended to decrease abuse, misuse and diversion by various routes of administration (e.g., snorting and intravenous injection). 

 

These studies also show that declines in abuse and diversion have persisted three years since the introduction. 

 

For the first study, among all patients prescribed OxyContin, diagnoses for opioid abuse, addiction or poisoning decreased by 12% when comparing the year before to the year after reformulation. The second study examined the abuse and diversion of reformulated OxyContin three years after being introduced on the market and found that in all surveillance systems, reductions in rates of abuse were observed for both oral and non-oral routes of administration although the magnitude of decline was larger for abuse through non-oral routes. Rates declined approximately 20% in the first quarter in the post-reformulation period (Q1 2011), to more than a 70% decline by the end of the 3-year follow-up (Q4 2013).

 

Purdue Pharma’s OxyContin is an extended-release oxycodone product that was originally approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1995 and reformulated with abuse deterrent properties to make the tablet more difficult to manipulate for misuse and abuse. Approved in April 2010 the product was shipped in August 2010 when shipments of the original formulation ceased. OxyContin has physicochemical properties expected to make abuse via injection and intranasal route difficult. However, abuse of OxyContin by these routes, as well as by the oral route is still possible.