Pharmaceutical firm Indivior (INDV) is optimistic its drug to help fight opioid addiction will be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on 30 November.

On 31 October the majority of the FDA’s Advisory Committee supported the approval of the RBP-6000 drug, which bodes well for approval as the FDA tends to agree with committee decisions.

If approved, RBP-6000 could become the largest revenue generating product at Indivior. It has peak sales potential of $1bn, according to broker Numis.

Opioid addiction is a huge issue in the US as more than 33,000 people were killed through opioid abuse in 2015 according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A positive outcome for Indivior could help it win back investors’ favour after a difficult period for the business.

Indivior is currently appealing against a court ruling that a proposed generic drug by Dr Reddy’s did not infringe the patent of Indivior’s Suboxone product, its best-selling existing therapy for opioid addiction.

The launch of a generic rival could see its Suboxone product lose up to 80% of its market share within a matter of months, warned Indivior in September.

Numis analyst Paul Cuddon expects RBP-6000 to be launched in the first quarter of 2018 if approved and anticipates a settlement with Dr Reddy’s. (LMJ)

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