ULTIVA (remifentanil hydrochloride) for Injection is a μ-opioid agonist chemically designated as a 3-[4-methoxycarbonyl-4- [(1-oxopropyl)phenylamino]-1-piperidine]propanoic acid methyl ester, hydrochloride salt, C₂₀H₂₈N₂O₅•HCl, with a molecular weight of 412.91. It has the following chemical structure:

ULTIVA (remifentanil) is a sterile, nonpyrogenic, preservative-free, white to off-white lyophilized powder for intravenous (IV) administration after reconstitution and dilution. Each vial contains 1, 2, or 5 mg of remifentanil base; 15 mg glycine; and hydrochloric acid to buffer the solutions to a nominal pH of 3 after reconstitution. When reconstituted as directed, solutions of ULTIVA are clear and colorless and contain remifentanil hydrochloride (HCI) equivalent to 1 mg/mL of remifentanil base. The pH of reconstituted solutions of ULTIVA ranges from 2.5 to 3.5. Remifentanil HCI has a pKa of 7.07. Remifentanil HCI has an n-octanol:water partition coefficient of 17.9 at pH 7.3.

Last reviewed on RxList: 5/8/2012
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.