Teva’s generic is the first that can be used by untrained people.

Nalaxone is the drug that halts or reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. It works by temporarily preventing the opioids from attaching to opioid receptors in the brain and is available as a nasal spray, injection and intravenous infusion. The nasal spray version, which is known as Narcan and produced by Adapt Pharma, was approved in 2015 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Adapt Pharma is now part of Emergent Biosolutions.

Soon, there will be a generic nasal spray on the market. The FDA recently approved Teva Pharmaceuticals’ generic version of naloxone nasal spray, which can be used to reverse suspected overdoses in the community setting by individuals without medical training. Generic injectable naloxone has been available for years for use in a healthcare setting.