Clinical trial studies GLP-1 drug for alcohol-use disorder
Among participants are people who struggle with cravings for alcohol and want to stop or reduce their consumption.Media Contact: Brian Donohue - 206-457-9182, bdonohue@uw.edu
UW Medicine in Seattle is a site for a national clinical trial studying whether an investigational drug reduces alcohol consumption in people with moderate to severe alcohol-use disorder.
The test therapeutic is brenipatide, a novel GLP-1/GIP drug concurrently being tested in several other U.S. clinical trials. Researchers seek to understand its potential to treat alcohol, opioid and nicotine addiction, bipolar disorder and cardiometabolic diseases.
UW Medicine is the only Pacific Northwest site among 30 across the nation involved in this Phase 3 study. The site has already met its target number of enrollees, said addiction psychologist Mary Hatch, an associate professor of psychiatry & behavioral sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
“These are people whose alcohol use is, in many cases, impacting multiple areas of their life, like health, relationships or work. They may continue to use alcohol, experience cravings, and have tried many times to stop or cut down,” said Hatch, a site co-investigator.
The 14-month study is designed so all participants (ages 18 to 75) will receive access to either the investigational drug or a placebo. The study will be double-blind, meaning neither participants nor the investigators will know who is taking the drug and who is taking the placebo.
Drugs commonly known as “GLP-1s” have been shown to help people lose weight, control their diabetes and reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease and other conditions. Early evidence suggests they also could curb addictions by affecting the brain’s mesolimbic pathway, which is associated with feelings of reward and desire.
The study’s primary aim is to learn whether brenipatide is superior to placebo for reducing alcohol cravings and changes in drinking patterns.
“It is exciting to bring this study to the Seattle area, as early research suggests these medications have the potential to provide a unique and powerful new medication treatment for alcohol use disorder in the past 20 years,” said Dr. Mark Duncan, an addiction psychiatrist at UW Medicine and the trial site’s principal investigator.
The findings from this trial could influence a decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve the drug for alcohol-use disorder, he suggested.
Related: Study synopsis from UW Medicine’s Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute
For details about UW Medicine, please see our About page.