King Pharmaceuticals announces availability of Embeda

BRISTOL, Tenn. An extended-release painkiller now is available commercially, the drug’s manufacturer has announced.

King Pharmaceuticals announced Monday the availability of Embeda (morphine sulfate and naltrexone hydrochloride) extended-release capsules. The drug is a long-acting opioid designed to manage moderate to severe pain over long periods of time and is available in strengths of 20 mg morphine to 0.8 mg of naltrexone, 30-mg and 1.2-mg, 50-mg and 2-mg, 60-mg and 2.4-mg, 80-mg and 3.2-mg and 100-mg and 4-mg.

The drug is also designed to reduce the morphine-induced euphoria that results from crushing or chewing the pills, though the company cautioned that there was no evidence that the naltrexone reduced the likelihood of abuse of the drug. However, crushing or chewing the tablets causes the naltrexone to mix with the morphine, reversing the morphine’s effects.