Nalmefene in the treatment of interstitial cystitis.

Nalmefene is a new narcotic antagonist that is structurally similar to naloxone and naltrexone. The drug is a long-acting oral agent that is a pure opiate antagonist without agonist activity. Nalmefene appears to be a safe and effective compound for the treatment of interstitial cystitis. Longer-term studies and Phase III randomized trials need to be completed to substantiate these encouraging findings.