Another new ER formula!

04-21-2012, 09:48 PM

As I was looking for news of Levorphanol, ran across this. It appears they have a new extended release formula in addition to their standard 2mg immediate release pill.

>>>>News Release

TheraQuest-

Levorphanol Extended Release (TQ-1020) is a proprietary once-a-day extended release dosage form of the opioid analgesic levorphanol in an abuse deterrent drug delivery system (Levorphanol ER). It has activity at both opioid and non-opioid receptors, thus providing unique pharmacologic advantages over currently marketed strong opioids. Levorphanol is significantly more potent than morphine at the mu, delta and kappa opioid receptor.

Unlike OxyContin, Opana ER, Embeda and Exalgo, Levorphanol's norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibition is comparable to tapentadol (Nucynta) and tramadol (Ultram ER). Consequently, Levorphanol ER targets both opioid modulated ascending pathways and norepinephrine modulated descending pathways of pain in one centrally acting analgesic. Levorphanol also exerts NMDA antagonism which may partly explain its efficacy in neuropathic pain and its ability to reverse tolerance to morphine.

04-22-2012, 12:14 PM

So have you tried this med before? Haven't personally heard of anyone on it. I'm intrigued in how they made it into an extended release as I read about how the immediate release has a very long half life, most similar to Methadone, and that it isn't appropriate for breakthrough pain. I haven't really heard of it being used...any idea why?

I read another post which speculated a high abuse potential and that it fell out of use when newer meds came out in the 90s. A medical article I read seemed to emphasize a lot of side effects, lack of physician experience, lack of clinical studies (ie. there wasn't a big company backing it with a lot of money), and the long half life, but for cancer patients who didn't respond to other meds, or in a hospital setting, it was an option. Thanks for sharing with us. Best wishes.

04-22-2012, 12:24 PM

Yes, I saw most of the same info you did.... Seems an ER formulation of an already long acting narcotic was a marketing decision cooked up in a conference room somewhere....

04-22-2012, 02:17 PM

Iso, I saw a major red flag in that info. they're relating and comparing this med to Ultram (Tramadol). Ultram when it came out a few years ago was hailed as the new miracle pain med by docs. It was non-habit forming and had anti-depressant properties, superdrug!

Well the truth is that Ultram is one of the MOST addicting drugs that has been put on the market, and detoxing off of it is harder than most other drugs legal or not. As far as the anti-depressant properties a large part of the pain management population is on some form of psych med or anti-depressant, dr.'s were not telling their patients about the anti-depressant properties and many patients ended up with Serotonin Syndrome, which can be deadly. Ultram is very easy to overdose on and easily causes Grand Mal Seizures. I owe my current Seizure Disorder to Utram, the med kicked the seizures into gear and they've never stopped, just added more meds to the mix to control the seizures.

If this med is any way related to or made up of the same properties as Ultram I would run as far from it as you possibly can.

Kat

04-22-2012, 05:16 PM

I hear you... The Theraquest site has changed -apparently bought by Relmada Pharma, they still feature this press release on their site, likely very dated now, perhaps from early R&D many years ago, who knows. Just more Corporate messaging from their isolated dream world intended to get a piece of the pie.

Another new ER formula!

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