Involving the pharmaceutical and biotech communities in medication development for substance abuse

Pharmacotherapy as adjunctive treatment is an integral part of the strategy for treating substance abuse. Although there are several approved drugs for the treatment of opioid, alcohol, and nicotine dependence, the pharmaceutical industry, for a variety of reasons, has been reluctant to enter this area to develop medications for substance abuse indications. Therefore, in 1990, a Medication Development Program was established by NIDA to carry out and assist in stimulating development of new pharmacotherapies. It is vital for NIDA to provide clear leadership and establish a collaborative working relationship with the pharmaceutical industry, providing scientific, development, and financial assistance, depending on the size, resources, and expertise of the company. An important NIDA role in this effort is setting standards, such as establishing Target Product Profiles (TPPs), predictive decision trees for selection of clinical candidates, and animal models to evaluate safety and potential effectiveness prior to human studies. NIDA can further establish standards for clinical studies, including Proof of Concept (PoC), Phase 2 (or Learning) trials to establish initial proof of safety and effectiveness, and Phase 3 (or Confirming) trials to validate Phase 2 findings. NIDA and other government agencies need to work to improve industry incentives to participate in medication development for substance abuse. Specific incentives, such as market exclusivity and patent extension, as provided in BioShield and pediatric drug legislation, should be strongly considered. NIDA can further assist industry to navigate the regulatory and, if needed, controlled substance scheduling processes, by establishing a true Federal partnership between NIDA, FDA, and DEA.