Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Oxymorphone: a review

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Supportive Care in Cancer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Oxymorphone (oxymorphone hydrochloride) (14-hydroxy-dihydromorphinone), a semisynthetic μ-opioid agonist, was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1959. Oxymorphone is considered a more potent opioid than its parent compound, morphine. Recently, an immediate-release and long-acting oral formulation of this drug was developed that makes oxymorphone a new option in treating moderate to severe pain. This article reviews the pharmacodynamics, pharmacology, and clinical efficacy for this new option in treating moderate to severe pain.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ripamonti C, Zecca E, De CF (1998) Pharmacological treatment of cancer pain: alternative routes of opioid administration. Tumori 84(3):289–300

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Hanks GW, Twycross RG, Bliss JM (1987) Controlled release morphine tablets: a double-blind trial in patients with advanced cancer. Anaesthesia 42(8):840–844

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Ripamonti C, Brunelli C (2003) Randomized clinical trial of an implantable drug delivery system compared with comprehensive medical management for refractory cancer pain: impact on pain, drug-related toxicity, and survival. J Clin Oncol 21(14):2801–2802

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Estfan B, LeGrand SB, Walsh D, Lagman RL, Davis MP (2005) Opioid rotation in cancer patients: pros and cons. Oncology (Huntingt) 19(4):511–516

    Google Scholar 

  5. Adams M, Pieniaszek HJ Jr, Gammaitoni AR, Ahdieh H (2005) Oxymorphone extended release does not affect CYP2C9 or CYP3A4 metabolic pathways. J Clin Pharmacol 45(3):337–345

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Ahdieh H, Ma T, Babul N, Lee D (2004) Efficacy of oxymorphone extended release in postsurgical pain: a randomized clinical trial in knee arthroplasty. J Clin Pharmacol 44(7):767–776

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Sloan P, Slatkin N, Ahdieh H (2005) Effectiveness and safety of oral extended-release oxymorphone for the treatment of cancer pain: a pilot study. Support Care Cancer 13(1):57–65

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Ananthan S, Khare NK, Saini SK et al (2004) Identification of opioid ligands possessing mixed micro agonist/delta antagonist activity among pyridomorphinans derived from naloxone, oxymorphone, and hydromorphone [correction of hydromorphone]. J Med Chem 47(6):1400–1412

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Armstrong SC, Cozza KL (2003) Pharmacokinetic drug interactions of morphine, codeine, and their derivatives: theory and clinical reality. Part I. Psychosomatics 44(2):167–171

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Hale ME, Dvergsten C, Gimbel J (2005) Efficacy and safety of oxymorphone extended release in chronic low back pain: results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled phase III study. J Pain 6(1):21–28

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Endo Pharmaceuticals (2004) Numorphan package insert. Endo, Chadds Ford

    Google Scholar 

  12. Adams MP, Ahdieh H (2004) Pharmacokinetics and dose-proportionality of oxymorphone extended release and its metabolites: results of a randomized crossover study. Pharmacotherapy 24(4):468–476

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Cheng CY, Hsin LW, Lin YP, Tao PL, Jong TT (1996) N-cubylmethyl substituted morphinoids as novel narcotic antagonists. Bioorg Med Chem 4(1):73–80

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Xu W, Huang LF, Bauer L, Bhargava HN, Dunn WJ III (1999) Synthesis and opiate receptor binding properties of 17-methyl-6,7-dehydro-3,14-dihydroxy-4,5alpha-epoxy-6,7:4′,5′-pyrimidin omorphinans. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 9(23):3375–3380

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Sinatra RS, Harrison DM (1989) Oxymorphone in patient-controlled analgesia. Clin Pharm 8(8):541–544

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Adams MP, Ahdieh H (2005) Single- and multiple-dose pharmacokinetic and dose-proportionality study of oxymorphone immediate-release tablets. Drugs R D 6(2):91–99

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Thomson Micromedex (2005) Micromedex healthcare series. Thomson Micromedex, Greenwood Village

    Google Scholar 

  18. Gourlay GK, Cherry DA, Onley MM et al (1997) Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of twenty-four-hourly Kapanol compared to twelve-hourly MS Contin in the treatment of severe cancer pain. Pain 69(3):295–302

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Sinatra RS, Lodge K, Sibert K et al (1989) A comparison of morphine, meperidine, and oxymorphone as utilized in patient-controlled analgesia following cesarean delivery. Anesthesiology 70(4):585–590

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Hussain MA, Aungst BJ (1997) Intranasal absorption of oxymorphone. J Pharm Sci 86(8):975–976

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Celleno D, Capogna G, Sebastiani M et al (1991) Epidural analgesia during and after cesarean delivery. Comparison of five opioids. Reg Anesth 16(2):79–83

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Aldrete JA, Couto da Silva JM (2000) Leg edema from intrathecal opiate infusions. Eur J Pain 4(4):361–365

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Weinberg DS, Inturrisi CE, Reidenberg B et al (1988) Sublingual absorption of selected opioid analgesics. Clin Pharmacol Ther 44(3):335–342

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Gourlay GK (2001) Treatment of cancer pain with transdermal fentanyl. Lancet Oncol 2(3):165–172

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Aungst BJ, Blake JA, Rogers NJ, Hussain MA (1990) Transdermal oxymorphone formulation development and methods for evaluating flux and lag times for two skin permeation-enhancing vehicles. J Pharm Sci 79(12):1072–1076

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Kirvela M, Lindgren L, Seppala T, Olkkola KT (1996) The pharmacokinetics of oxycodone in uremic patients undergoing renal transplantation. J Clin Anesth 8(1):13–18

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Beaver WT, Wallenstein SL, Houde RW, Rogers A (1977) Comparisons of the analgesic effects of oral and intramuscular oxymorphone and of intramuscular oxymorphone and morphine in patients with cancer. J Clin Pharmacol 17(4):186–198

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Sinatra R, Chung KS, Silverman DG et al (1989) An evaluation of morphine and oxymorphone administered via patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) or PCA plus basal infusion in postcesarean-delivery patients. Anesthesiology 71(4):502–507

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Gimbel J, Ahdieh H (2004) The efficacy and safety of oral immediate-release oxymorphone for postsurgical pain. Anesth Analg 99(5):1472–1477

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eric Prommer.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Prommer, E. Oxymorphone: a review. Support Care Cancer 14, 109–115 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-005-0917-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-005-0917-1

Keywords

Navigation