Saint Louis, MO (PRWEB) October 21, 2010 -- Highland Pharmaceuticals (www.highlandpharma.com) announces the availability of an extraction resistant technology targeted for opioid-based medications. Using patented technologies, Highland can develop and produce pharmaceutical products, such as oxycodone, in solid dose, oral tablets which cannot be crushed for inhalation or extracted for injection. This new, lipid-based technology is significant, as it is highly resistant to extraction methods commonly used by drug abusers.
"Essentially, our delivery system frustrates the most well-known forms of opiate drug abuse. These methods include crushing tablets into a fine powder for inhalation or extracting with water or alcohol for injection - all for an enhanced 'high'," says Bill Moskoff, CEO of Highland Pharmaceuticals. "We are excited about this new formulation, as we see it as another step toward improving the security of delivering controlled pain medications and potentially reducing street drug abuse and misuse."
In analytical testing of this new system, less than 10% of the opioid was able to be extracted using those methods most commonly known to street abusers. This data supports the conclusion that the opioid content would not be sufficient to produce the associated euphoric effect and that it would greatly frustrate a user's tendency for this mode of abuse.
In addition to reducing potential abuses, Highland's delivery system dissolves well in the GI tract and releases as intended when taken as directed.
Oxycodone and other similar opioid-based medications are primarily prescribed by a physician and intended for pain management. When currently available solid dose products are crushed or dissolved to create a powder substance and then used for injection, inhalation or ingestion, it provides the user a much more immediate and intense euphoric effect. Subsequently, these drugs have become increasingly popular for recreational use, which has resulted in sky-rocketing levels of abuse and criminal behavior.
In the last twenty years, the misuse of opioid-type medications has become an alarming problem in American society. According to the National Institute of Health, opiate abuse costs the American public over $484 billion dollars annually. This figure includes health care costs, lost job wages, traffic accidents, crime and the associated criminal justice system costs.*
As a specialty development and manufacturing company, Highland Pharmaceuticals produces oral pharmaceutical and nutritional products in innovative delivery systems for use in human healthcare. Through the application of patented technologies, they offer unique capabilities for delivering active ingredients in a format different from existing, conventional methods. This new extraction resistance technology is a cutting edge development with endless opportunities for both opioid-based medications as well as other active ingredients which attract abusive behaviors. As such, Highland is actively seeking to develop strategic partnerships with companies who are interested in pursuing regulatory approval and marketing these types of pain management products. For more information, visit www.highlandpharma.com or call 314-205-9666.