Buprenorphine dosing regimens

1. A method of treating opioid use disorder in a human in need thereof, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) administering a first composition comprising about 280 mg to 320 mg of buprenorphine to the human once per month by subcutaneous injection for two months; wherein the first composition comprises (i) about 18 wt % of buprenorphine free base; (ii) about 32 wt % of a poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer; and (iii) about 50 wt % of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone; and

(b) administering a second composition comprising about 80 mg to 120 mg of buprenorphine to the human once per month by subcutaneous injection beginning with a third month; wherein the second composition comprises (i) about 18 wt % of buprenorphine free base; (ii) about 32 wt % of a poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer; and (iii) about 50 wt % of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone; to treat the opioid use disorder.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the opioid use disorder is moderate opioid use disorder or severe opioid use disorder.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer in the first composition and the second composition is a 50:50 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer.

4. A method of treating opioid use disorder in a human in need thereof, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) administering a first composition comprising about 280 mg to 320 mg of buprenorphine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to the human once per month by injection for two months; and

(b) administering a second composition comprising about 80 mg to 120 mg of buprenorphine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to the human once per month by injection beginning with a third month; to treat the opioid use disorder.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the buprenorphine is in the form of a free base.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the method produces an average buprenorphine plasma concentration of at least 2 ng/mL.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the method produces an average buprenorphine plasma concentration of about 2 ng/mL to about 5 ng/mL.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the method produces a μ-opioid receptor occupancy as measured by a maximum effect model of Equation 1 of at least 70%.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the injection is a subcutaneous injection.

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein the method of treating opioid use disorder is a method of suppressing opioid withdrawal signs and symptoms.

11. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first composition and the second composition each comprise:

(i) about 18 wt % of buprenorphine free base;

(ii) about 32 wt % of a 50:50 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer; and

(iii) about 50 wt % of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone.

12. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first composition and the second composition each comprise:

(i) about 14 wt % to about 22 wt % of buprenorphine free base;

(ii) about 22 wt % to about 42 wt % of a 50:50 to 80:20 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer; and

(iii) about 40 wt % to about 60 wt % of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone.

13. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first composition and the second composition each comprise:

(i) about 10 wt % to about 30 wt % of buprenorphine free base;

(ii) about 10 wt % to about 60 wt % of a 50:50 to 95:5 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer; and

(iii) about 30 wt % to about 70 wt % of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer in the first composition and the second composition is a 50:50 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer having a carboxy terminal group and having an average molecular weight of about 9,000 Daltons to about 19,000 Daltons.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the 50:50 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer has a carboxy terminal group and has an average molecular weight of about 9,000 Daltons to about 19,000 Daltons.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the 50:50 to 80:20 poly(DL-lactide-co glycolide) copolymer is a 50:50 to 80:20 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 5,000 Daltons to about 30,000 Daltons.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the 50:50 to 95:5 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer is a 50:50 to 95:5 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 5,000 Daltons to about 40,000 Daltons.

18. The method of claim 4 , wherein the opioid use disorder is moderate opioid use disorder or severe opioid use disorder.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmucosally administering to the patient a composition comprising buprenorphine prior to step (a).

20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sublingually administering to the patient a composition comprising buprenorphine prior to step (a).

21. The method of claim 1 , further comprising inducting and stabilizing the patient on a transmucosal composition comprising buprenorphine prior to step (a).

22. The method of claim 1 , further comprising inducting and stabilizing the patient on a sublingual composition comprising buprenorphine prior to step (a).

23. A method of treating opioid addiction in a human in need thereof, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmucosally administering a composition comprising buprenorphine;

(b) subcutaneously administering a first composition comprising about 280 mg to 320 mg of buprenorphine once per month for two months; wherein the first composition comprises (i) about 18 wt % of buprenorphine free base; (ii) about 32 wt % of a poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer; and (iii) about 50 wt % of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone; and

(c) subcutaneously administering a second composition comprising about 80 mg to 120 mg of buprenorphine once per month beginning with a third month; wherein the second composition comprises (i) about 18 wt % of buprenorphine free base; (ii) about 32 wt % of a poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer; and (iii) about 50 wt % of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone.