(Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for the prescription-free sale of a second opioid overdose reversal drug, according to Harm Reduction Therapeutics, the manufacturer of the drug named RiVive. This approval will offer patients in the United States another over-the-counter option, as the country grapples with over 100,000 drug-related overdose deaths in 2021.
Harm Reduction Therapeutics stated that RiVive is expected to be available in early 2022, primarily for harm-reduction organizations and state governments. As a non-profit drug company, Harm Reduction Therapeutics has committed to providing at least 200,000 doses of RiVive for free.
RiVive is a nasal spray variant of naloxone, a substance known for quickly reversing or obstructing the effects of opioids, thereby restoring normal respiration, especially if administered within minutes of detecting overdose symptoms.
“If we can secure partnerships and financial support, we aim to make RiVive more affordable or increase the quantity given away for free,” expressed Michael Hufford, CEO and co-founder of Harm Reduction Therapeutics.
In March, Emergent BioSolutions obtained FDA approval for the first over-the-counter version of Narcan, another naloxone-based nasal spray.
Harm Reduction Therapeutics has collaborated with contract drug manufacturer Catalent Inc to handle the production of RiVive.
Reporting by Sriparna Roy and Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai
Credit: The Star : News Feed
