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Home › Conditions › opioid dependence

Opioid dependence

Part of Opioid Use Disorder

2 published articles · Updated continuously

Clinical Trial Landscape

Clinical Trials for opioid dependence

50 trials tracked for opioid dependence: 16 in phase 3 or 4 and 5 with published results. The most-cited published study has 171 citations.

50Trials tracked
16Phase 3 & 4
0Recruiting
5With published results
Phase distribution
Phase 4 6 Phase 3 10 Phase 2 17 Phase 1 3 Other / NA 14
  1. Phase 3 Efficacy, Safety and Dose-Response Study Followed by Open-Label Study of Lofexidine Treatment of Opioid Withdrawal Completed · 171 cited
  2. Phase 3 A Study of Adult Outpatients With Opioid Dependence Transitioned From a Daily SL Buprenorphine to Probuphine® Subdermal Implants Completed · 114 cited
  3. Phase 4 XRB vs. SLB in Jail and at Re-entry: Pilot, Proof of Concept Completed · 67 cited
  4. Phase 3 Treatment Seeking Participants With Opioid Use Disorders Assessing Tolerability of Depot Injections of Buprenorphine Completed · 41 cited
  5. Phase 4 Trial of Injected Liposomal Bupivacaine vs Bupivacaine Infusion After Surgical Stabilization of Rib Fractures Completed · 10 cited
  6. Phase 4 Usability of Zubsolv Sublingual Tablets 5.7/1.4 to Suboxone Sublingual Film 8/2 In Buprenorphine/Naloxone Treated Opioid Dependent Population Completed
Show 44 more trials
  1. Phase 4 Gabapentin Regimens and Their Effects on Opioid Consumption Completed
  2. Phase 4 A Study of VIVITROL in the Prevention of Re-arrest and Re-incarceration Completed
  3. Phase 4 Relapse Prevention to Reduce HIV Among Women Prisoners Completed
  4. Phase 3 Dane County Drug Court Study for Addicted Offenders Completed
  5. Phase 3 Buprenorphine/Naloxone Stabilization and Induction Onto Injection Naltrexone Completed
  6. Phase 3 Buprenorphine Treatment for Opioid Dependence Completed
  7. Phase 3 Memantine-enhanced Buprenorphine Treatment for Opioid-dependent Young Adults Completed
  8. Phase 3 Dronabinol Naltrexone Treatment for Opioid Dependence Completed
  9. Phase 3 RCT Comparing Methadone and Buprenorphine in Pregnant Women Completed
  10. Phase 3 Memantine as a Supplement to Naltrexone in Treating Heroin Dependence Completed
  11. Phase 2 Glutamatergic Modulation to Facilitate Naltrexone Initiation in Opioid Dependence Completed
  12. Phase 2 Memantine and Naltrexone Treatment for Opioid Dependence Completed
  13. Phase 2 Improving Buprenorphine Detoxification Outcomes With Isradipine Completed
  14. Phase 2 Prescription Opioid Abuse Among Pain Patients: Predictors of Relapse Completed
  15. Phase 2 Gabapentin Treatment of Benzodiazepine Abuse in Methadone Maintenance Patients Completed
  16. Phase 2 Oxytocin Treatment of Opioid Dependence Completed
  17. Phase 2 Remote Observed Dosing of Suboxone to Improve Clinical Practice Completed
  18. Phase 2 Effects of Gabapentin Versus Placebo on Buprenorphine Detoxification of Opioid-dependent Individuals Completed
  19. Phase 2 A Within Subject Comparison of Opioid Withdrawal in Opioid Dependent Individuals Completed
  20. Phase 2 HOPE Consortium Trial to Reduce Pain and Opioid Use in Hemodialysis Completed
  21. Phase 2 Naltrexone for Opioid Dependent Released Human Immunodeficiency Virus Positive (HIV+) Criminal Justice Populations Completed
  22. Phase 2 Effects of Ibudilast on Oxycodone Self-administration in Opioid Abusers Completed
  23. Phase 2 The Separate and Combined Effects of Vivitrol and Opiate Abstinence Reinforcement in the Treatment of Opioid Dependence Completed
  24. Phase 2 Pharmacogenetics of Disulfiram for Cocaine Completed
  25. Phase 2 Medications Development for Drug Abuse Disorders Completed
  26. Phase 2 Medical Management of Sleep Disturbance During Opioid Tapering Completed
  27. Phase 2 An Open Label Study To Assess The Safety And Tolerability Of BEMA® Buprenorphine NX In Opioid Dependent Subjects Completed
  28. Phase 1 Drug Interaction and Subjective Effects of Compounds for Opioid Use Disorder Completed
  29. Phase 1 Re-entry XR-NTX for Rural Individuals With Opioid Use Disorder Completed
  30. Phase 1 INDV-2000 First in Human Completed
  31. N/A Improving Effective Contraceptive Use Among Opioid-maintained Women: Stage II Completed
  32. N/A Comparing Two Training Methods for Opioid Wizard Completed
  33. N/A Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of an Opioid Stewardship Program in Hospitalized Patients With Chronic Pain Completed
  34. N/A The Effects of Minocycline in Opioid-maintained Patients Completed
  35. N/A tDCS to Decrease Opioid Relapse (UG3) Completed
  36. N/A Testing a Community-Friendly Risk Reduction Intervention for Injection Drug Users Completed
  37. N/A Efficiency And Quality In Post-Surgical Pain Therapy After Discharge Completed
  38. N/A SMART Effectiveness Trial Completed
  39. N/A Change the Cycle: An RCT to Prevent Injection Initiation Completed
  40. N/A The Life STORRIED Study Completed
  41. N/A Completion of OST - a Prospective Study Completed
  42. N/A Friendship Bench Adaptation to Improve Mental Health & HIV Care Engagement Outcomes Among PLWH and PWID in Vietnam Completed
  43. N/A Comparing Interventions for Opioid Dependent Patients Presenting in Medical Emergency Departments Completed
  44. N/A Addiction, HIV and Tuberculosis in Malaysian Criminal Justice Settings Completed

Showing the 50 most-cited and recently-updated of 50 trials. Browse the full registry →

Trial data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. Counts describe the research landscape and are not a treatment recommendation. Informational only — not medical advice.

What the trials found Updated — new results For clinicians

Opioid dependence: what the trials found

Buprenorphine-based treatments show significant efficacy in reducing illicit opioid use and improving treatment outcomes. Sublingual buprenorphine tablets demonstrated a high responder rate, with 81% of patients showing no more than two months of illicit opioid use 9. Additionally, SUBOXONE was associated with significantly higher rates of urine samples negative for opioids and higher treatment success rates compared to other groups 10.

Vivitrol (naltrexone) demonstrated significant clinical benefits in reducing the incidence of opioid use 6 and improving retention in treatment over a 12-week period 17. Lofexidine HCl was also shown to significantly improve scores on the Short Opiate Withdrawal Scale (SOWS-Gossop) 8.

Other pharmacological interventions include methadone, which showed significant differences in maternal psychosocial functioning at delivery 14, and memantine, which demonstrated a statistically significant change in opioid use from week 1 to week 13 15. Gabapentin was also evaluated as an intervention for this condition 22.

Recent results — preliminary, needs further review

  • Isoniazid was studied in a prison setting; however, the results for TB treatment completion rates did not reach statistical significance (p=0.08) 1.

For the clinician treating this condition

  • Buprenorphine and SUBOXONE are supported by evidence for reducing illicit opioid use and improving treatment success rates [9, 10].
  • Vivitrol is associated with reduced opioid use and improved treatment retention [6, 17].
  • Lofexidine HCl significantly improves scores on the SOWS-Gossop withdrawal scale 8.

AI synthesis of 9 cited trials, updated Jun 24, 2026. Informational only — not medical advice; trial data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. How we use AI.

HCP Mode — summaries include clinical detail, trial data, and statistical outcomes.
Patient Mode — summaries use plain language, avoiding clinical jargon.
Meta-analysis shows methadone exposure linked to higher NAS incidence and treatment needs versus buprenorphine in pregnant women
Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine Meta-analysis
Meta-analysis shows methadone exposure linked to higher NAS incidence and treatment needs versus buprenorphine in pregnant women Buprenorphine-based therapies reduce neonatal abstinence syndrome risk compared to methadone in pregnant women
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated buprenorphine-based therapies and methadone in pregnant opioid-dependent women.
A large review of 5,524 pregnant women found babies exposed to buprenorphine had lower rates of withdrawal symptoms and needed less medicati…
May 1, 2026
Combination buprenorphine and psychotherapy linked to highest remission rates in opioid dependence patients
Psychiatry Cohort
Combination buprenorphine and psychotherapy linked to highest remission rates in opioid dependence patients Combining buprenorphine and therapy boosts remission rates for opioid dependence
This retrospective cohort study analyzed 18,047 adults aged 18–45 with opioid dependence across 112 U.S.
In a large study, pairing buprenorphine with psychotherapy showed the strongest link to remission from opioid use disorder compared to no tr…
Frontiers Apr 28, 2026

Research across Opioid Use Disorder

Related studies from across the Opioid Use Disorder family.

Methadone shows significantly higher treatment retention than buprenorphine-naloxone in patients with Opioid Use Disorder
Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine Meta-analysis
Methadone shows significantly higher treatment retention than buprenorphine-naloxone in patients with Opioid Use Disorder Methadone beats buprenorphine for opioid treatment retention
This meta-analysis of 7 randomized controlled trials involving 3622 patients found that methadone is associated with significantly higher tr…
Methadone keeps more people in opioid treatment than buprenorphine-naloxone, but the combo drug has fewer serious side effects.
Jul 7, 2026
Opioid Wizard tool increases primary care clinician confidence in screening, diagnosing, and referring patients for OUD
Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine RCT
Opioid Wizard tool increases primary care clinician confidence in screening, diagnosing, and referring patients for OUD Digital Tool Improves Clinician Confidence in Managing Opioid Use Disorder
This secondary analysis of an RCT evaluates the Opioid Wizard clinical decision support tool's impact on primary care clinicians managing op…
A new digital decision support tool helps primary care doctors feel more confident when screening and diagnosing patients with opioid use di…
Jul 6, 2026
19 genome-wide significant loci identify genetic architecture and high correlations with other substance use disorders
Genetics & Precision Medicine Meta-analysis
19 genome-wide significant loci identify genetic architecture and high correlations with other substance use disorders Genes linked to stimulant addiction found in largest study yet
This meta-analysis of 709,369 individuals identifies 19 genome-wide significant loci associated with Stimulant Use Disorder. The study also …
Scientists found 19 genetic regions tied to stimulant addiction, including one linked to obesity. The study of over 700,000 people also show…
medRxiv Jun 11, 2026
High-dose buprenorphine induction protocol for Opioid Use Disorder in emergency department settings
Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine RCT
High-dose buprenorphine induction protocol for Opioid Use Disorder in emergency department settings New plan to test high-dose buprenorphine for opioid use disorder
This randomized clinical trial protocol describes a plan to evaluate high-dose buprenorphine induction for patients with moderate-to-severe …
A new clinical trial plans to see if higher doses of buprenorphine can help more people with opioid use disorder start treatment in the emer…
Jun 9, 2026
Intranasal naloxone reverses opioid-induced respiratory depression in opioid-naive and daily users within 2 to 17 minutes
Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine RCT
Intranasal naloxone reverses opioid-induced respiratory depression in opioid-naive and daily users within 2 to 17 minutes Narcan nasal spray reverses opioid breathing depression quickly
This prospective crossover trial enrolled 12 opioid-naive individuals and 18 daily opioid users.
Narcan nasal spray restored breathing within minutes in opioid users, but some had delayed or incomplete recovery.
May 1, 2026
Nicotinic partial agonists show no effect on opioid use in HIV-positive smokers
Infectious Disease RCT
Nicotinic partial agonists show no effect on opioid use in HIV-positive smokers New data on nicotine treatment for HIV patients who use opioids
This secondary analysis of a randomized trial in 97 HIV-positive smokers with risky alcohol use and baseline opioid use found no significant…
A new look at nicotine treatment for HIV patients who use opioids found no difference in opioid use between two drug groups.
May 1, 2026
Protocol for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Dopaminergic Measures in Opioid Use Disorder
Psychiatry Meta-analysis
Protocol for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Dopaminergic Measures in Opioid Use Disorder Opioid addiction changes brain chemistry in lasting ways
This publication outlines a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating dopaminergic measures in adults with opioid use…
People with opioid addiction have clear changes in brain chemistry that may explain why cravings persist, even after stopping use, and could…
Frontiers May 1, 2026
Peer navigators provide direct, informational, and facilitation support for OUD during community re-entry
Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine RCT
Peer navigators provide direct, informational, and facilitation support for OUD during community re-entry What kind of help do people need most when leaving jail with opioid addiction?
A Connecticut RCT sub-study of 108 criminal legal-involved adults with OUD characterized peer navigator support during community re-entry.
When leaving jail, opioid recovery hinges on practical help like rides to appointments and paperwork support, not just medical advice.
Apr 8, 2026
Pilot study examines salivary adiponectin receptor expression in opioid-exposed neonates
Pediatrics Cohort
Pilot study examines salivary adiponectin receptor expression in opioid-exposed neonates How does a mother's opioid use affect her baby's growth signals?
This observational pilot cohort compared salivary adiponectin receptor 1 expression and growth measurements in neonates born at ≥34 weeks' g…
Doctors are investigating how a mother's opioid use during pregnancy might change a newborn's growth signals and body fat levels.
Frontiers Apr 7, 2026
Report estimates state-level economic costs of opioid use disorder and fatal overdose
Infectious Disease
Report estimates state-level economic costs of opioid use disorder and fatal overdose Report estimates state-level economic costs of opioid use disorder and overdose
A report estimated state-level economic costs of opioid use disorder and fatal opioid overdose in the United States.
A new report estimates the economic costs of opioid use disorder and fatal overdoses for every state in the United States in 2017.
CDC Apr 6, 2026
Naloxone prescriptions from US retail pharmacies increased substantially from 2012 to 2018
Infectious Disease
Naloxone prescriptions from US retail pharmacies increased substantially from 2012 to 2018 Did naloxone access improve? Pharmacy prescriptions more than doubled in one year
An observational report of naloxone dispensing trends in US retail pharmacies found the number of prescriptions increased substantially from…
Naloxone prescriptions at U.S. retail pharmacies more than doubled from 2017 to 2018, showing a major jump in access to this life-saving ove…
CDC Apr 6, 2026
Report describes overdose education and naloxone distribution programs in U.S. syringe service programs
Infectious Disease
Report describes overdose education and naloxone distribution programs in U.S. syringe service programs How do syringe programs teach people to stop overdoses?
A report describes overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) programs within syringe service programs in the United States.
A new report looks at how syringe service programs across the U.S.
CDC Apr 6, 2026