Transmucosal drug delivery devices for use in chronic pain relief

Abstract

Provided herein are methods for treating chronic pain by administering low doses of buprenorphine twice daily (or once daily) via a transmucosal drug delivery device. The methods and devices efficiently treat chronic pain without significant side effects.

1 . A method of treating chronic pain, the method comprising:
 administering to a subject in need thereof a mucoadhesive bioerodable drug delivery device, wherein the device is administered once or twice daily,   wherein the device comprises:   a bioerodable mucoadhesive layer comprising about 100 g to about 0.9 mg buprenorphine and buffered to a pH of between about 4.0 and about 6.0; and   a backing layer buffered to a pH of between about 4.0 and about 4.8 and that does not include an opioid antagonist;   wherein the device provides a steady-state Cmax of plasma buprenorphine concentration in a range between about 0.156 and about 0.364 ng/mL,   wherein the subject is an opioid-experienced subject; and   wherein the subject treated experiences mild or moderate common opioid adverse effects, or no common opioid adverse effects.   
     
     
         2 - 20 . (canceled)