Gov. Chris Christie says pharmaceutical companies have agreed to work on nonaddictive pain medications and additional treatments to deal with opioid addiction.

Christie made the announcement Monday in Trenton, shortly after he convened a meeting of the White House opioid commission that he chairs. He also held a news conference on the topic alongside White House counselor Kellyanne Conway.

"This problem will not be addressed sufficiently in our country if we don't have the active involvement and partnership with the pharmaceutical companies,” Christie said. “Without their help and their participation it will be near impossible to be able accomplish what we need to accomplish for the American people.”

The governor noted that the agreements he announced Monday were a key recommendation that the opioid commission made in an interim report it sent President Trump in July.