Millennium Laboratories launches new test for Butrans Transdermal System

Millennium Laboratories, the research-based, clinical diagnostic company that works to improve the lives of people with chronic pain and/or addiction, announced today its launch of a new test to monitor patients using Butrans, a transdermal patch that delivers buprenorphine continuously for seven days.

Butrans (buprenorphine) Transdermal System is indicated for the management of moderate to severe chronic pain when a continuous, around-the-clock opioid analgesic is needed for an extended period of time. Millennium’s research team identified that patients on Butrans typically excrete the parent drug buprenorphine, together with its major metabolite norbuprenorphine, at urinary concentrations that are significantly lower than those measured from patients on other forms of buprenorphine (i.e., suboxone, subutex).  Effective detection of these drugs at such low levels requires testing at sensitivities not afforded by currently available methods used for monitoring patients on other forms of buprenorphine.

Millennium’s proprietary method, developed on its liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) platform, is capable of measuring low levels of buprenorphine and its major metabolite norbuprenorphine in urine. Millennium’s technology is highly sensitive and specific, providing healthcare professionals with a quantitative measurement that is unaffected by other drugs or dietary supplements that may be present in the patient’s sample.

“Millennium continues to invest enormous resources to develop and improve its product and service offerings, which include new tests for prescribed medications and drugs that our customers are seeing in their practices,” said Millennium Laboratories’ President, Howard Appel. “Millennium is on the forefront of drug monitoring and testing, and like we did when we developed high sensitivity tests for Spice, Bath Salts and Kratom, we responded rapidly to our customers’ evolving needs by developing this Butrans test.”

Urinary analysis for Butrans may be ordered to confirm that the patient is using the medication, metabolizing the medication, or to confirm complete elimination of the medication prior to beginning a new therapeutic regimen. Final results are reported generally within one business day of specimen receipt.