Reckitt Benckiser enters agreement to develop naloxone nasal spray

Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals has entered into an agreement to co-develop a product that would offer an alternative to injectable administration of the overdose reversal drug naloxone.

The pharmaceutical company announced May 19 that it is working with AntiOp, Inc., to develop a naloxone nasal spray that it says would offer a more convenient option for non-medical personnel and emergency responders administering the medication to overdose patients. Many states and communities, particularly in the Northeast, have adopted measures in recent months to make naloxone injections more widely available as a public health response to the opioid addiction and overdose crisis.

Under the agreement with AntiOp, Reckitt Benckiser will have the option to acquire all rights to the nasal spray product if it receives the necessary regulatory approvals.

“Naloxone nasal spray is a strong, strategic fit to our portfolio, further strengthening our capabilities to provide much needed treatment services for the chronic relapsing conditions of addiction,” Reckitt Benckiser CEO Shaun Thaxter said in a news release.

A British biopharmaceutical company already has conducted a trial of its own nasal spray formulation naloxone that is in development.