Nutriband Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRB) Navigates Drug-Delivery Challenges with Innovation in Abuse-Deterrent Tech

• Drug delivery plays a critical role in modern healthcare, but when it comes to potent opioids such as fentanyl, the stakes are particularly high
• Nutriband is developing Aversa(TM), a proprietary abuse-deterrent transdermal technology designed to prevent diversion, misuse, abuse and accidental exposure
• Nutriband’s Aversa(TM) fentanyl patch is estimated to have a market potential of $80 million to $200 million annually within five years of launch

Developing safe, effective and abuse-deterrent delivery systems for controlled substances such as fentanyl is a formidable challenge, and Nutriband (NASDAQ: NTRB) is positioning itself at the forefront of that effort. The company is pioneering transdermal technologies to deliver medications that require careful balancing of patient access with strong mitigation against misuse.

Drug delivery plays a critical role in modern healthcare, but when it comes to potent opioids such as fentanyl, the stakes are particularly high. Fentanyl is approximately 50 times more potent than heroin, and even trace amounts can be fatal, making it a dangerous ingredient when diverted or misused (ibn.fm/0eIOJ). Traditional opioid formulations, including extended-release patches and pills, have frequently been targets for tampering and abuse, leading the FDA to mandate risk management programs and abuse-deterrent formulations (“ADF”) that can help reduce misuse without compromising legitimate patient care (ibn.fm/hgJ0P).

The central difficulty lies in achieving the delicate balance: preventing abuse while preserving patient access for those legitimately in need. Abuse-deterrent technologies are designed to thwart crushing, dissolving or extracting the active drug for illicit use, particularly via injection or snorting. While they cannot eliminate all forms of misuse, they serve as a vital tool in limiting harm and encouraging safe use under medical supervision.

Healthcare providers and regulators like note that ADFs must be combined with comprehensive strategies including monitoring, prescribing oversight and patient education. For drug developers, creating a delivery platform that ensures therapeutic efficacy without enabling tampering is a complex scientific and regulatory challenge. Formulation must be stable, bioavailable and amenable to large-scale manufacturing while reliably deterring common abuse modes.

This is where Nutriband enters the scene. Nutriband is developing Aversa(TM), a proprietary abuse-deterrent transdermal technology designed to prevent diversion, misuse, abuse and accidental exposure. Applied as a coating on fentanyl patches, Aversa introduces aversive agents that discourage tampering and unauthorized use while maintaining steady, controlled delivery for pain patients (ibn.fm/stX9e). The strategy supports patient access by enabling effective chronic pain management with lower systemic exposure and sustained-release characteristics.

Nutriband is collaborating with Kindeva Drug Delivery to manufacture its AVERSA(TM) fentanyl patch. Kindeva has validated that this aversive coating can be applied using standard commercial transdermal production methods, a major step toward scale-up and regulatory compliance (ibn.fm/c6tua). Notably, the FDA’s 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway may allow Nutriband to rely significantly on existing safety and efficacy data for fentanyl patches, potentially reducing the need for extensive phase 2 and 3 trials and accelerating market access (ibn.fm/9ihPI).

The broader impact is significant. Nutriband’s leadership recognizes that fentanyl misuse remains a top contributor to opioid-related overdose deaths. By embedding abuse deterrence in a transdermal format, the company offers an option aiming to deliver pain relief responsibly. Nutriband’s Aversa fentanyl patch is estimated to have a market potential of $80 million to $200 million annually within five years of launch (ibn.fm/r7FtN), a forecast that reflects real need among practitioners seeking safer prescribing alternatives.

Beyond fentanyl, Nutriband’s transdermal platform has broader applicability. Its clinical subsidiary, 4P Therapeutics, is working on formulations for buprenorphine, methylphenidate, peptides, and biologics — all candidates for safe, patch-based delivery. This positions Nutriband to leverage its transdermal expertise across multiple therapeutic areas, potentially transforming how many medications are administered, and how patients adhere to treatment.

Nutriband’s efforts illustrate the significant role that drug-delivery innovation plays in today’s pharmaceutical landscape. By integrating abuse-deterrent strategies into transdermal platforms, Nutriband seeks to improve outcomes for chronic pain patients and reduce the societal burden of opioid misuse, a challenging but potentially transformative contribution to public health.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Nutriband.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to NTRB are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/NTRB

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