Opioid addiction, including dependence on substances such as fentanyl and heroin, is widely acknowledged as a global public health and social safety challenge. While conventional substitution therapies can mitigate withdrawal symptoms, they often fail to fully address psychological cravings, which are key drivers of relapse. A recent clinical study from China may offer a novel therapeutic strategy for this issue.
Yifan Pharmaceutical recently announced the successful completion of its Phase 1b clinical trial for Duanjin Jiedu Capsules, an independently developed formulation, confirming that the study met its predefined objectives.
Available data indicate that the drug is specifically designed for the prevention of relapse in opioid use disorder. Its primary active components are derived from two traditional Chinese medicinal herbs: Gelsemium elegans and Datura stramonium. The proposed clinical indication is “syndrome of residual toxin accumulation and blood stasis due to opioid abuse,” with pharmacological effects targeting both detoxification and relapse prevention.
Results from the Phase 1b trial show that Duanjin Jiedu Capsules demonstrated favorable safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic profiles in individuals undergoing recovery from opioid addiction. Compared with the placebo group, the treatment group showed a consistent trend toward improved outcomes in relapse prevention, behavioral regulation and overall rehabilitation quality.
Current standard treatments for opioid addiction predominantly rely on substitution therapies such as methadone and buprenorphine, which require prolonged administration and carry risks of dependency transfer. In contrast, Duanjin Jiedu Capsules are administered over a short 21-day course yet appear to confer sustained protection against relapse, offering a viable pathway for patients to reintegrate into normal life. Researchers hypothesize that this breakthrough profile — characterized as “short-term dosing with long-term preventive effects” — may be attributed to the drug’s potential modulation of the central nervous system’s reward circuitry.
Industry experts suggest that if further clinical validation is successful, Duanjin Jiedu Capsules could represent a pioneering traditional Chinese medicine-based solution for relapse prevention in opioid addiction, contributing a distinctive “Chinese model” to global public health strategies.
Yifan Pharmaceutical has stated its commitment to accelerating subsequent clinical development and regulatory registration processes, aiming to facilitate the timely translation of this therapy into clinical practice and ultimately fill a critical gap in the international landscape of opioid addiction management.
About Yifan Pharmaceutical
Yifan Pharmaceutical is a Chinese pharmaceutical company focused on addressing significant unmet medical needs. Its lead candidate, Duanjin Jiedu Capsules, is an innovative therapy based on traditional Chinese medicine for the prevention of relapse in opioid use disorder. Having successfully completed Phase 1b clinical trials, the drug has demonstrated a favorable safety profile and a trend toward improved outcomes in relapse prevention. Yifan Pharmaceutical is committed to advancing this therapy as a new solution to the global challenge of opioid addiction. For more information, www.yifanyy.com.
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Brian Li
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