Morphine Sulfate Extended Release
Generic: MORPHINE SULFATE
Basic Information
Manufacturer
Major Pharmaceuticals
Product Type
HUMAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG
Route of Administration
ORAL
FDA Set ID
dbb37dfd-0196-45f7-b9ca-393f56cf1d28
Indications & Usage
1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Morphine sulfate extended-release tablets are indicated for the management of severe and persistent pain that requires an opioid analgesic and that cannot be adequately treated with alternative options, including immediate-release opioids.
Morphine sulfate extended-release tablets are an opioid agonist indicated for the management of severe and persistent pain that requires an opioid analgesic and that cannot be adequately treated with alternative options, including immediate-release opioids.
( 1 ) Limitations of Use • Because of the risks of addiction, abuse, misuse, overdose, and death, which can occur at any dosage or duration and persist over the course of therapy, reserve opioid analgesics, including morphine sulfate extended-release tablets, for use in patients for whom alternative treatment options are ineffective, not tolerated, or would be otherwise inadequate to provide sufficient management of pain.
( 1 , 5.1 ) • Morphine sulfate extended-release tablets are not indicated as an as-needed (prn) analgesic.
( 1 ) Limitations of Use • Because of the risks of addiction, abuse, misuse, overdose, and death, which can occur at any dosage or duration and persist over the course of therapy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] , reserve opioid analgesics, including morphine sulfate extended-release tablets, for use in patients for whom alternative treatment options are ineffective, not tolerated, or would be otherwise inadequate to provide sufficient management of pain.
• Morphine sulfate extended-release tablets are not indicated as an as-needed (prn) analgesic.
Morphine sulfate extended-release tablets are an opioid agonist indicated for the management of severe and persistent pain that requires an opioid analgesic and that cannot be adequately treated with alternative options, including immediate-release opioids.
( 1 ) Limitations of Use • Because of the risks of addiction, abuse, misuse, overdose, and death, which can occur at any dosage or duration and persist over the course of therapy, reserve opioid analgesics, including morphine sulfate extended-release tablets, for use in patients for whom alternative treatment options are ineffective, not tolerated, or would be otherwise inadequate to provide sufficient management of pain.
( 1 , 5.1 ) • Morphine sulfate extended-release tablets are not indicated as an as-needed (prn) analgesic.
( 1 ) Limitations of Use • Because of the risks of addiction, abuse, misuse, overdose, and death, which can occur at any dosage or duration and persist over the course of therapy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] , reserve opioid analgesics, including morphine sulfate extended-release tablets, for use in patients for whom alternative treatment options are ineffective, not tolerated, or would be otherwise inadequate to provide sufficient management of pain.
• Morphine sulfate extended-release tablets are not indicated as an as-needed (prn) analgesic.
Adverse Reactions
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following serious adverse reactions are described, or described in greater detail, in other sections: • Addiction, Abuse, and Misuse [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Life-Threatening Respiratory Depression [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] • Interactions with Benzodiazepine or Other CNS Depressants [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] • Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] • Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia and Allodynia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] • Adrenal Insufficiency [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) ] • Severe Hypotension [see Warnings and Precautions (5.10) ] • Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.12) ] • Seizures [see Warnings and Precautions (5.13) ] • Withdrawal [see Warnings and Precautions (5.14) ] Most common adverse reactions (>10%): constipation, nausea, and sedation.
( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Rhodes Pharmaceuticals at 1-888-873-5329 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch 6.1 Clinical Trial Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
Morphine sulfate extended-release tablets may increase the risk of serious adverse reactions such as those observed with other opioid analgesics, including respiratory depression, apnea, respiratory arrest, circulatory depression, hypotension, or shock [see Overdosage (10) ] .
Most Frequently Observed Reactions In clinical trials, the most common adverse reactions with morphine sulfate extended-release tablets were constipation, dizziness, sedation, nausea, vomiting, sweating, dysphoria, and euphoric mood.
Some of these effects seem to be more prominent in ambulatory patients and in those not experiencing severe pain.
Less Frequently Observed Reactions Cardiovascular disorders: tachycardia, bradycardia, palpitations Eye disorders: visual impairment, vision blurred, diplopia, miosis Gastrointestinal disorders: dry mouth, diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation, dyspepsia General disorders and administration site conditions: chills, feeling abnormal, edema, edema peripheral, weakness Hepatobiliary disorders: biliary colic Metabolism and nutrition disorders: anorexia Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders: muscle rigidity, muscle twitching Nervous system disorders: presyncope, syncope, headache, tremor, uncoordinated muscle movements, convulsion, intracranial pressure increased, taste alteration, paresthesia, nystagmus Psychiatric disorders: agitation, mood altered, anxiety, depression, abnormal dreams, hallucination, disorientation, insomnia Renal and urinary disorders: urinary retention, urinary hesitation, antidiuretic effects Reproductive system and breast disorders: reduced libido and/or potency Respiratory, thoracic, and mediastinal disorders: laryngospasm Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders: pruritus, urticaria, rash Vascular disorders: flushing, hypotension, hypertension 6.2 Post-Marketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of morphine sulfate extended-release tablets.
Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.
Amenorrhea, asthenia, bronchospasm, confusional state , drug hypersensitivity, fatigue, hyperalgesia, hypertonia, ileus, increased hepatic enzymes, intestinal obstruction, lethargy, malaise, pulmonary edema, thinking disturbances, somnolence, and vertigo .
Serotonin syndrome : Cases of serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition, have been reported during concomitant use of opioids with serotonergic drugs.
Adrenal insufficiency : Cases of adrenal insufficiency have been reported with opioid use, more often following greater than one month of use.
Anaphylaxis : Anaphylaxis has been reported with ingredients contained in morphine sulfate extended-release tablets.
Androgen deficiency : Cases of androgen deficiency have occurred with use of opioids for an extended period of time [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2) ] .
Hyperalgesia and Allodynia : Cases of hyperalgesia and allodynia have been reported with opioid therapy of any duration [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ].
Hypoglycemia: Cases of hypoglycemia have been reported in patients taking opioids.
Most reports were in patients with at least one predisposing risk factor (e.g., diabetes).
Opioid-induced esophageal dysfunction (OIED) : Cases of OIED have been reported in patients taking opioids and may occur more frequently in patients taking higher doses of opioids, and/or in patients taking opioids longer term [see Warnings and Precautions (5.12) ] .
Adverse Reactions from Observational Studies A prospective, observational cohort study estimated the risks of addiction, abuse, and misuse in patients initiating long-term use of Schedule II opioid analgesics between 2017 and 2021.
Study participants included in one or more analyses had been enrolled in selected insurance plans or health systems for at least one year, were free of at least one outcome at baseline, completed a minimum number of follow-up assessments, and either: 1) filled multiple extended-release/long-acting opioid analgesic prescriptions during a 90-day period (n=978); or 2) filled any Schedule II opioid analgesic prescriptions covering at least 70 of 90 days (n=1,244).
Those included also had no dispensing of the qualifying opioids in the previous 6 months.
Over 12 months: • approximately 1% to 6% of participants across the two cohorts newly met criteria for addiction, as assessed with two validated interview-based measures of moderate-to-severe opioid use disorder based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria, and • approximately 9% and 22% of participants across the two cohorts newly met criteria for prescription opioid abuse and misuse [defined in Drug Abuse and Dependence (9.2)] , respectively, as measured with a validated self-reported instrument.
A retrospective, observational cohort study estimated the risk of opioid-involved overdose or opioid overdose-related death in patients with new long-term use of Schedule II opioid analgesics from 2006 through 2016 (n=220,249).
Included patients had been enrolled in either one of two commercial insurance programs, one managed care program, or one Medicaid program for at least 9 months.
New long-term use was defined as having Schedule II opioid analgesic prescriptions covering at least 70 days' supply over the 3 months prior to study entry and none during the preceding 6 months.
Patients were excluded if they had an opioid-involved overdose in the 9 months prior to study entry.
Overdose was measured using a validated medical code-based algorithm with linkage to the National Death Index database.
The 5-year cumulative incidence estimates for opioid-involved overdose or opioid overdose-related death ranged from approximately 1.5% to 4% across study sites, counting only the first event during follow-up.
Approximately 17% of first opioid overdoses observed over the entire study period (5 to 11 years, depending on the study site) were fatal.
Higher baseline opioid dose was the strongest and most consistent predictor of opioid-involved overdose or opioid overdose-related death.
Study exclusion criteria may have selected patients at lower risk of overdose, and substantial loss to follow-up (approximately 80%) also may have biased estimates.
The risk estimates from the studies described above may not be generalizable to all patients receiving opioid analgesics, such as those with exposures shorter or longer than the duration evaluated in the studies.
( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Rhodes Pharmaceuticals at 1-888-873-5329 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch 6.1 Clinical Trial Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
Morphine sulfate extended-release tablets may increase the risk of serious adverse reactions such as those observed with other opioid analgesics, including respiratory depression, apnea, respiratory arrest, circulatory depression, hypotension, or shock [see Overdosage (10) ] .
Most Frequently Observed Reactions In clinical trials, the most common adverse reactions with morphine sulfate extended-release tablets were constipation, dizziness, sedation, nausea, vomiting, sweating, dysphoria, and euphoric mood.
Some of these effects seem to be more prominent in ambulatory patients and in those not experiencing severe pain.
Less Frequently Observed Reactions Cardiovascular disorders: tachycardia, bradycardia, palpitations Eye disorders: visual impairment, vision blurred, diplopia, miosis Gastrointestinal disorders: dry mouth, diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation, dyspepsia General disorders and administration site conditions: chills, feeling abnormal, edema, edema peripheral, weakness Hepatobiliary disorders: biliary colic Metabolism and nutrition disorders: anorexia Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders: muscle rigidity, muscle twitching Nervous system disorders: presyncope, syncope, headache, tremor, uncoordinated muscle movements, convulsion, intracranial pressure increased, taste alteration, paresthesia, nystagmus Psychiatric disorders: agitation, mood altered, anxiety, depression, abnormal dreams, hallucination, disorientation, insomnia Renal and urinary disorders: urinary retention, urinary hesitation, antidiuretic effects Reproductive system and breast disorders: reduced libido and/or potency Respiratory, thoracic, and mediastinal disorders: laryngospasm Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders: pruritus, urticaria, rash Vascular disorders: flushing, hypotension, hypertension 6.2 Post-Marketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of morphine sulfate extended-release tablets.
Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.
Amenorrhea, asthenia, bronchospasm, confusional state , drug hypersensitivity, fatigue, hyperalgesia, hypertonia, ileus, increased hepatic enzymes, intestinal obstruction, lethargy, malaise, pulmonary edema, thinking disturbances, somnolence, and vertigo .
Serotonin syndrome : Cases of serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition, have been reported during concomitant use of opioids with serotonergic drugs.
Adrenal insufficiency : Cases of adrenal insufficiency have been reported with opioid use, more often following greater than one month of use.
Anaphylaxis : Anaphylaxis has been reported with ingredients contained in morphine sulfate extended-release tablets.
Androgen deficiency : Cases of androgen deficiency have occurred with use of opioids for an extended period of time [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2) ] .
Hyperalgesia and Allodynia : Cases of hyperalgesia and allodynia have been reported with opioid therapy of any duration [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ].
Hypoglycemia: Cases of hypoglycemia have been reported in patients taking opioids.
Most reports were in patients with at least one predisposing risk factor (e.g., diabetes).
Opioid-induced esophageal dysfunction (OIED) : Cases of OIED have been reported in patients taking opioids and may occur more frequently in patients taking higher doses of opioids, and/or in patients taking opioids longer term [see Warnings and Precautions (5.12) ] .
Adverse Reactions from Observational Studies A prospective, observational cohort study estimated the risks of addiction, abuse, and misuse in patients initiating long-term use of Schedule II opioid analgesics between 2017 and 2021.
Study participants included in one or more analyses had been enrolled in selected insurance plans or health systems for at least one year, were free of at least one outcome at baseline, completed a minimum number of follow-up assessments, and either: 1) filled multiple extended-release/long-acting opioid analgesic prescriptions during a 90-day period (n=978); or 2) filled any Schedule II opioid analgesic prescriptions covering at least 70 of 90 days (n=1,244).
Those included also had no dispensing of the qualifying opioids in the previous 6 months.
Over 12 months: • approximately 1% to 6% of participants across the two cohorts newly met criteria for addiction, as assessed with two validated interview-based measures of moderate-to-severe opioid use disorder based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria, and • approximately 9% and 22% of participants across the two cohorts newly met criteria for prescription opioid abuse and misuse [defined in Drug Abuse and Dependence (9.2)] , respectively, as measured with a validated self-reported instrument.
A retrospective, observational cohort study estimated the risk of opioid-involved overdose or opioid overdose-related death in patients with new long-term use of Schedule II opioid analgesics from 2006 through 2016 (n=220,249).
Included patients had been enrolled in either one of two commercial insurance programs, one managed care program, or one Medicaid program for at least 9 months.
New long-term use was defined as having Schedule II opioid analgesic prescriptions covering at least 70 days' supply over the 3 months prior to study entry and none during the preceding 6 months.
Patients were excluded if they had an opioid-involved overdose in the 9 months prior to study entry.
Overdose was measured using a validated medical code-based algorithm with linkage to the National Death Index database.
The 5-year cumulative incidence estimates for opioid-involved overdose or opioid overdose-related death ranged from approximately 1.5% to 4% across study sites, counting only the first event during follow-up.
Approximately 17% of first opioid overdoses observed over the entire study period (5 to 11 years, depending on the study site) were fatal.
Higher baseline opioid dose was the strongest and most consistent predictor of opioid-involved overdose or opioid overdose-related death.
Study exclusion criteria may have selected patients at lower risk of overdose, and substantial loss to follow-up (approximately 80%) also may have biased estimates.
The risk estimates from the studies described above may not be generalizable to all patients receiving opioid analgesics, such as those with exposures shorter or longer than the duration evaluated in the studies.