What is "nalmefene"

n. An opiate derivative used mainly to manage alcoholism.

Nalmefene (trade name Selincro), originally known as nalmetrene, is an opioid antagonist developed in the early 1970s, used primarily in the management of alcohol dependence. It has also been investigated for the treatment of other addictions such as pathological gambling.

Nalmefene is an opiate derivative similar in both structure and activity to the opioid antagonist naltrexone. Advantages of nalmefene relative to naltrexone include longer half-life, greater oral bioavailability and no observed dose-dependent liver toxicity. As with other drugs of this type, nalmefene can precipitate acute withdrawal symptoms in patients who are dependent on opioid drugs, or more rarely when used post-operatively to counteract the effects of strong opioids used in surgery.