While opioids are the most effective pain-killers, their use for pain management often develops into an opioid use disorder (OUD). Death from an opioid overdose (by 115 Americans every day) is in most cases caused by opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD). A new opioid formulation that retains the desired analgesic properties but lacks deadly respiratory and unwanted addictive effects, remains an unmet clinical need. 
Quivive Pharma is developing the first immediate-release opioid formulation with both prophylactic respiratory depression protection and abuse-deterrent properties, which contains the generic opioid Hydrocodone (HC), combined with a sub-therapeutic dose of the FDA-approved respiratory stimulant Doxapram (DOX). The unique formulation is designed to deliver effective pain relief with decreased risk of OIRD. In addition to improving safety, DOX serves as an abuse-deterrent by producing unpleasant, but not dangerous, anxiogenic effects in case of abuse by overconsumption, while having no negative impact on opioid analgia in the therapeutic range. Quivive Pharma has completed in vivo efficacy studies as well as extensive preclinical safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) studies following a Pre-IND meeting with FDA. No adverse clinical signs have been noted in rats, dogs, or monkeys following oral treatment with DOX. Quivive Pharma aims now to complete a first in human validation of the proposed approach.