FRIDAY, Aug. 26 (HealthDay News) — Nucynta ER (tapentadol extended release) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat moderate-to-severe chronic pain in adults, maker Janssen Pharmaceuticals said.
The extended-release version of the opioid drug is taken twice daily. The original formulation of Nucynta was approved by the FDA in 2008.
Almost one-third of Americans will have chronic pain at some point in their lives, making it the most common form of long-term disability, the drug maker said.
In clinical testing of Nucynta, the most common side effects were nausea, constipation, headache and dizziness. People taking the drug must not consume alcohol or any medications that contain alcohol, Janssen said in a news release.
Janssen is a unit of Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, N.J.
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