Sublocade and Vivitrol are injected by trained professionals once per month to help maintain recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD). However, these two medications contain different active ingredients and work differently in the brain.
Sublocade contains buprenorphine, while Vivitrol contains naltrexone.
Either Sublocade or Vivitrol can benefit your treatment, depending on your specific needs and goals. Learn more here.
People with OUD benefit from a combination of counseling and medication. MAT programs provide psychological support to manage cravings, so the individual can focus on behavioral treatment to ultimately overcome OUD.
Both Sublocade and Vivitrol are long-lasting maintenance medicines used in addiction treatment, but they have several important differences.
Sublocade is a prescription subdermal injection administered once a month.[5] The injection releases buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist, into the body steadily over 28 days.
Long-acting medications like this prevent breakthrough cravings that might occur if a patient misses a dose of their daily Suboxone. Therefore, stable patients on Suboxone might prefer to switch from a daily Suboxone tablet or film to a monthly injection.
Sublocade was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017.[6]
Although other forms of buprenorphine, like Suboxone, can be administered in an outpatient setting like a physician’s office, Sublocade is an injection. It requires special training to administer it in a specific clinic. Not all providers who give Suboxone also give Sublocade, but they likely know providers that do, and they can refer patients.
Talk to your doctor if you are taking Suboxone and interested in switching to Sublocade.
Vivitrol (generic name: naltrexone) is also a prescription injectable medication used to treat OUD.[7] It can also treat alcohol use disorder.
The active ingredient in Vivitrol is naltrexone, an opioid antagonist that prevents patients from getting “high” on opioids if they do take them. It acts as a treatment for OUD because it blocks the euphoric effects of opioids and therefore deters people from taking an opioids.
Some people prefer Naltrexone to Sublocade or Suboxone because it has no addictive potential. It also does not cause any withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking it.[8] Conversely, it does not address the physical and psychological cravings for opioids in the same way that Subxone and Sublocade do, and therefore is overall considered to be slightly less efficacious than opioid based therapies for addiction treatment. However, it may be the right choice for certain individuals, particularly those who are already in sustained recovery and are not experiencing acute physical withdrawal from opioids.
Both Sublocade and Vivitrol come with side effects. Like all medications, side effects tend to be strongest at first and fade with time. They can be split into the following categories.
Researchers say the following side effects are typical in people who use Sublocade or Vivitrol.[9,10]
SublocadeVivitrol (for OUD)ConstipationXHeadacheXNausea XSwelling or pain at the injection siteXXFatigueXLiver enzyme abnormalitiesXXInflammation of the nose and throatXInsomniaXToothacheX
Some people using Sublocade or Vivitrol have serious reactions to their drugs.[9,10] If you experience any of these side effects, talk to your doctor about a switch to a different OUD solution.
SublocadeVivitrol (for OUD)Suicidal thoughtsXPneumoniaXAccidental opioid overdoseXXAllergic reactionsXX
These are similarities between Sublocade and Vivitrol:
You cannot take these two medications at the same time. The reason for this is that one is an opioid partial agonist (turns “on” opioid receptors) and the other is an “antagonist” (turns “off” opioid receptors). Thus, they oppose each other and will negate each other’s effects if used at the same time. Patients can chose to use one or the other, depending on what they think will be the best treatment that will be right for them.
Sublocade and buprenorphine based therapies have been shown to be slightly more efficacious at treating OUD because, unlike Vivitrol, they work by blocking the unpleasant physical effects of withdrawal. On the other hand, Sublocade and buprenorphine based therapies have more side effects that may prevent patients from tolerating the medication. Therefore, there is no “better option” overall. The “better” option is merely which medication is right for you given your body, addiction history, and goals of treatment.
If you are interested in either of these injectable medications for OUD treatment, your doctor can best advise you on what option might be best for you.
Peter Manza, PhD received his BA in Psychology and Biology from the University of Rochester and his PhD in Integrative Neuroscience at Stony Brook University. He is currently working as a research scientist in Washington, DC. His research focuses on the role of the brain dopamine system in substance use disorders and in aging. He also studies brain function in obesity and eating disorders.
Our science-backed approach boasts 95% of patients reporting no withdrawal symptoms at 7 days. We can help you achieve easier days and a happier future.
Get Startedor book an enrollment call
