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Published on 2024-03-21 20:31:28
Nora Volkow, the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, expressed excitement about the early data on the use of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy to treat addiction. She acknowledged that while these new drugs show promise, there is a lack of urgency from pharmaceutical companies to develop new addiction treatments. Volkow criticized the industry for not prioritizing the development of medications for addiction, which has led to a shortage of options for individuals seeking treatment.
Volkow highlighted the effective but underutilized existing medications for opioid use disorder, such as methadone and buprenorphine. She pointed out that in other areas of medicine, like depression or hypertension, there are multiple treatment options available and emphasized the need to invest in addiction treatment given its high mortality rate.
Speaking at the STAT Breakthrough Summit in New York City, Volkow discussed the potential of GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic in treating addiction. These medications, originally used for conditions like obesity and cardiovascular disease, target receptors of the GLP-1 hormone to suppress food cravings and alter brain circuits that drive desire. However, no pharmaceutical companies are currently studying GLP-1s for addiction treatment.
Marcus Schindler, Novo Nordisk’s chief scientific officer, mentioned that their company is focusing on using their flagship GLP-1 drug in Alzheimer’s research, indicating that they do not have expertise in neurological disorders. Similarly, Eli Lilly stated that they do not have plans to investigate their GLP-1 drug as a treatment for addiction, although they continue to collect data on its potential benefits.
Volkow called for high-quality clinical trials to assess the impact of GLP-1 medications on substance use, as anecdotal data has shown promising results. While some participants in a recent study reported a reduction in opioid cravings, side effects led to over half dropping out before completing the trial.
Despite the exciting data, Volkow acknowledged potential downsides of GLP-1 drugs, such as muscle loss, which could be problematic for individuals with severe addictions who may already be malnourished. Overall, she believes that these medications could effectively reduce the desire to consume drugs by interfering with the brain’s reward system.
In conclusion, Volkow stressed the importance of treating addiction as a serious disease that warrants investment in research and development of new treatments. Changing priorities and viewing addiction like other chronic diseases could help address the ongoing epidemic of substance use disorders. The potential of GLP-1 medications to reduce drug cravings and their mechanism of action make them a promising area of study for addiction treatment.
