Community Studies of Long Acting Buprenorphine (CoLAB)

Summary

Despite research demonstrating the efficacy of buprenorphine (BPN), effectiveness in real-world settings has been limited by shorter retention than for methadone, and the need for daily or near-daily dosing (frequently supervised in Australia). Newly developed sustained-release BPN formulations could provide rapid onset and sustained release of BPN. Current formulations include six-monthly implants, and once-weekly or once-monthly injections, removing the need for frequent clinic or pharmacy attendance. Improved medication adherence may result in improved patient outcomes and fewer unintended consequences such as diversion, but more data are needed in real-world settings. These innovations have the potential to dramatically change the treatment settings and options for people who are opioid dependent. The study aims to evaluate the patient outcomes following the implementation of a monthly BPN depot injection for the treatment of opioid dependence in community-based treatment settings with a focus on opioid and other illicit drug use, adherence and retention, and participants' experiences of the implementation.

Timeline

Start

2019-05-22

Primary completion

2020-11-01

Completion

2021-03-30

Publications

• Gendera S, Rhodes T, Treloar C. The 'knowing' body in the becoming of buprenorphine depot treatment: A qualitative study. Int J Drug Policy. 2025 Dec;146:105043. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.105043. Epub 2025 Nov 14.
• Gendera S, Lancaster K, Rhodes T, Treloar C. Making long-acting treatment work: Tracing connections with extended-release buprenorphine depot through time. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2025 Mar;44(3):829-841. doi: 10.1111/dar.14021. Epub 2025 Feb 17.
• Lancaster K, Gendera S, Treloar C, Rhodes T, Shahbazi J, Byrne M, Nielsen S, Degenhardt L, Farrell M. Tinkering with care: Implementing extended-release buprenorphine depot treatment for opioid dependence. Int J Drug Policy. 2024 Apr;126:104359. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104359. Epub 2024 Feb 20.
• Farrell M, Shahbazi J, Byrne M, Grebely J, Lintzeris N, Chambers M, Larance B, Ali R, Nielsen S, Dunlop A, Dore GJ, McDonough M, Montebello M, Nicholas T, Weiss R, Rodgers C, Cook J, Degenhardt L; CoLAB study team. Outcomes of a single-arm implementation trial of extended-release subcutaneous buprenorphine depot injections in people with opioid dependence. Int J Drug Policy. 2022 Feb;100:103492. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103492. Epub 2021 Nov 1.
• Larance B, Byrne M, Lintzeris N, Nielsen S, Grebely J, Degenhardt L, Shahbazi J, Shanahan M, Lancaster K, Dore G, Ali R, Farrell M; CoLAB study team. Open-label, multicentre, single-arm trial of monthly injections of depot buprenorphine in people with opioid dependence: protocol for the CoLAB study. BMJ Open. 2020 Jul 31;10(7):e034389. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-034389.

Drugs

Indications