Last reviewed 2026-04-23 · How we verify

Hydromorphone, liquid oral

Hydromorphone is an opioid agonist that binds to mu opioid receptors in the central nervous system to produce analgesia and sedation.

Hydromorphone is an opioid agonist that binds to mu opioid receptors in the central nervous system to produce analgesia and sedation. Used for Moderate to severe pain, Cancer pain, Palliative care.

At a glance

Mechanism of action

Hydromorphone activates mu opioid receptors throughout the brain and spinal cord, inhibiting pain signal transmission and modulating pain perception. This results in potent analgesia suitable for moderate to severe pain management. The liquid oral formulation allows for flexible dosing and is commonly used in palliative care and acute pain settings.

Approved indications

• Moderate to severe pain
• Cancer pain
• Palliative care

Common side effects

• Constipation
• Nausea
• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Respiratory depression
• Pruritus

Key clinical trials

• Multimodal Analgesia Effect on Post Surgical Patient (PHASE4)
• Non-Steroidal or Opioid Analgesia Use for Children With Musculoskeletal Injuries (PHASE2)
• Comparing Rapid Micro-Induction and Standard Induction of Buprenorphine/Naloxone for Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (PHASE2)
• Study to Assess Longer-term Opioid Medication Effectiveness (SALOME) (PHASE3)

Primary sources

Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.

Competitive intelligence

For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:

• Hydromorphone, liquid oral CI brief — competitive landscape report
• Hydromorphone, liquid oral updates RSS · CI watch RSS
• University of British Columbia portfolio CI