Extended-release buprenorphine (XR-B) is newly FDA approved and its effectiveness in a criminal justice setting is promising but untested. This is an ongoing 8-week pilot proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial, open-label and unblinded, examining the feasibility and acceptability of XR-B versus daily sublingual buprenorphine-naloxone (SL-B) for the treatment of opioid use disorder in jail and at community re-entry.

XR-B has several potential advantages versus SL-B, notably the near zero probability of diversion and an improved, long-acting “bridge” of medication adherence at release. So far, XR-B has shown promising rates of retention in a vulnerable population.

This study is supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NCT03604159).