Is There a Liquid Formulation of Suboxone?
No, there is no commercially available liquid formulation of Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) currently approved by the FDA for clinical use in the United States.
Available Formulations
The FDA-approved buprenorphine/naloxone products are available only in solid dosage forms for sublingual administration 1:
- Sublingual tablets (original Suboxone tablets and generic equivalents) 1, 2
- Sublingual films (Suboxone film) 3, 4
- Fast-dissolving sublingual tablets (Zubsolv, which has improved taste and faster dissolve time) 3, 4
Historical Context: Liquid Formulation in Clinical Trials
While no liquid Suboxone product exists commercially, much of the FDA approval data for buprenorphine was generated using an ethanolic sublingual solution in research settings 1, 5:
- Clinical trials studied 2,470 patients using buprenorphine sublingual solutions 1
- This liquid formulation was used to establish efficacy data but was never marketed as a commercial product 1, 5
- Pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that 16 mg of tablet buprenorphine produces similar plasma concentrations to 8 mg of the research liquid solution, with the tablet having approximately 71% relative bioavailability compared to the liquid 5, 6
Clinical Implications
For prescribing in practice 7, 8:
- The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends buprenorphine/naloxone sublingual tablets or films as the preferred formulation due to safety features that prevent misuse by crushing and injecting 7, 8
- Standard therapeutic dosing is 8-16 mg daily, with a target of 16 mg for most patients 7, 8
- Newer formulations like Zubsolv offer faster dissolve times (similar to films) and better taste acceptability than original Suboxone tablets, which may improve adherence 3, 4
Common Pitfall
Clinicians should not attempt to create improvised liquid formulations by dissolving tablets, as this would alter the intended pharmacokinetics and safety profile of the sublingual delivery system 2.