Naloxegol (INN; PEGylated naloxol;[3] trade names Movantik and Moventig) is a peripherally acting μ-opioid receptor antagonist developed by AstraZeneca, licensed from Nektar Therapeutics, for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation.[4] It was approved in 2014 in adult patients with chronic, non-cancer pain.[5] Doses of 25 mg were found safe and well tolerated for 52 weeks.[6] When given concomitantly with opioid analgesics, naloxegol reduced constipation-related side effects, while maintaining comparable levels of analgesia.[7]
The most common side effects are abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, flatulence, vomiting and headache. Patients often describe the above side effects to be similar to an instant withdrawal state brought on quickly rather than the 24 hours it may take to occur naturally. As a pure opioid antagonist Naloxegol has no potential for abuse.
Naloxegol was previously a Schedule II drug in the United States because of its chemical similarity to opium alkaloids. It was officially decontrolled on 23 January 2015. It was reclassified as a prescription drug after the FDA and DEA concluded that the impermeability of the blood–brain barrier to this compound made it non-habit-forming, and so without the potential for abuse.[8]