Targeting a specific brain receptor to help people with cocaine addiction
Official title: Selective Targeting of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subtypes for Cocaine Use Disorder
Funded at University of Illinois at Chicago · NIH-11248338 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Developing new brain-penetrant medicines that block a specific nicotine-related receptor to help people with cocaine addiction reduce cravings and prevent relapse.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | March 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $660,230 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA057961-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11248338 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with cocaine use disorder who struggle with relapse and are seeking new treatment options would be the likely candidates for therapies developed from this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose substance use is primarily driven by other drugs or who cannot take drugs that target nicotinic receptors may not benefit from this specific approach.
What this research studies
Researchers are creating a new class of drugs based on the alkaloid aristoquinoline that selectively block the α3β4 subtype of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain. These compounds are being optimized for selectivity and ability to reach the brain, and then tested in animal models of cocaine relapse and drug-seeking. Preliminary lab and animal data show these molecules can potently inhibit the receptor and reduce drug-seeking behavior in animals. The goal is to determine whether this approach is safe and effective enough to support future human trials for cocaine use disorder.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to the first targeted medications that reduce cravings and relapse for people with cocaine use disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies and early laboratory results indicate that blocking α3β4 receptors can reduce stimulant-seeking, but existing compounds had poor selectivity or brain penetration, and this aristoquinoline-based approach is a novel strategy with promising preliminary animal data.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Riley, Andrew — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Riley, Andrew
Related research
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.