Schedules of Controlled Substances: Placement of Brexanolone in Schedule IV

On March 19, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new drug application for Zulresso (brexanolone). Brexanolone is chemically known as 3[alpha]-hydroxy-5[alpha]-pregnan-20-one and is also referred to as allopregnanolone. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with a recommendation that brexanolone be placed in schedule IV of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). In accordance with the CSA, as revised by the Improving Regulatory Transparency for New Medical Therapies Act, DEA is hereby issuing an interim final rule placing brexanolone (including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers whenever the existence of such salts, isomers, and salts of isomers is possible) in schedule IV of the CSA.