Trevena, Inc.

TRV734

Opioid Use Disorder

Over 2.5 million people in the U.S. suffer from opioid use disorder (OUD), also known as opioid addiction.1 The Department of Health and Human Services has identified the development of effective treatment options as a top priority for addressing the ongoing opioid crisis.2

Medication-assisted therapy is a well-studied and widely-used approach to treating OUD. The goal of medication-assisted therapy is to combine medication with different forms of behavioral therapy to help patients slowly transition to an opioid-free state. Once that is accomplished, patients can continue to work towards achieving long-term abstinence from opioids.

Methadone and buprenorphine are the most commonly used drugs in medication-assisted therapy. Both target the mu receptor and can successfully alleviate withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings. However, both can cause gastrointestinal tolerability issues and cognitive impairment – common mu receptor-mediated adverse effects – that can deter patient adherence and interfere with their recovery process.3,4,5,6,7

About TRV734

Through a collaboration with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Trevena is developing TRV734 for use in medication-assisted therapy for the treatment of opioid use disorder. Similar to current standard treatment options, it targets the mu receptor, but with an optimized mechanism of action that preferentially engages the signaling pathway responsible for therapeutic effect, with reduced activation of the signaling pathway responsible for mu receptor-mediated adverse effects. There is nonclinical and clinical evidence to suggest that TRV734 is associated with less constipation than other common treatments.8

Program Molecular Target Therapeutic Target Current Phase PC PH1 PH2 PH3 NDA Approved
TRV734 Mu receptor Opioid use disorder PH1 Oral PC complete PH1 in progress PH2 not started PH3 not started NDA not started Approved not started
TRV734 is an Investigational Product not approved by FDA for sale or distribution in the US.
  1. Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality
  2. National Institute on Drug Abuse
  3. Mazhari S, Keshvari Z, Sabahi A, Mottaghian S. Assessment of Cognitive Functions in Methadone Maintenance Patients. Addict Health. 2015 Summer-Autumn;7(3-4):109-16.
  4. Strand MC, Vindenes V, Gjerde H, Mørland JG, Ramaekers JG. A clinical trial on the acute effects of methadone and buprenorphine on actual driving and cognitive function of healthy volunteers. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2019 Feb;85(2):442-453.
  5. Gudin J, Fudin J. Opioid-Induced Constipation: New and Emerging Therapies—Update 2016. Practical Pain Management. 2016; Volume 115, Issue #10.
  6. Webster LR, Camilleri M, Finn A. Opioid-induced constipation: rationale for the role of norbuprenorphine in buprenorphine-treated individuals. Subst Abuse Rehabil. 2016 Jun 14;7:81-6.
  7. Lugoboni F, Mirijello A, Zamboni L, Faccini M, Casari R, Cossari A, Gasbarrini A, Addolorato G, On Behalf Of Gics. High prevalence of constipation and reduced quality of life in opioid-dependent patients treated with opioid substitution treatments. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2016 Nov;17(16):2135-2141.