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FDA approved another OTC opioid overdose reversal drug

FDA approved another OTC opioid overdose reversal drug

With the approval of RiVive, patients in the United States will have another over-the-

counter option to combat drug-related overdose deaths, which exceeded 100,000 in 2021. The

drugmaker plans to make RiVive available early next year, primarily to harm-reduction organizations

and state governments, and has committed to providing at least 200,000 doses for free. RiVive is a

nasal spray version of naloxone, known for rapidly reversing or blocking the effects of opioids and

restoring normal respiration, particularly when administered promptly after the first signs of an

overdose.

Harm Reduction Therapeutics' CEO, Michael Hufford, expressed that additional funding from

partners could enable them to reduce the cost of RiVive even further or increase the number of free

doses they provide. In March, Emergent BioSolutions obtained FDA approval for the first over-the-

counter version of Narcan, which is also a naloxone-based nasal spray. Harm Reduction Therapeutics

has collaborated with contract drug manufacturer Catalent Inc to produce RiVive.

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Movement of Catalent stocks in the last five years. (Source: Trading Economics)

Sources:

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-fda-approves-second-over-the-counter-opioid-overdose-reversal-drug-2023-07-28/

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-second-over-counter-naloxone-nasal-spray-product

https://tradingeconomics.com/ctlt:us

https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/us-fda-approves-second-overthecounter-opioid-overdose-reversal-drug-3137920