Understanding why alcohol use disorder medications work differently for people
Alcohol Use Disorder: Acamprosate Pharmacometabolomics-informed Pharmacogenomics
This project aims to discover why common medications for alcohol use disorder work well for some people but not others, hoping to find better ways to personalize treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11180298 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many people with alcohol use disorder take medications like acamprosate or naltrexone, but these treatments only help about half of them. Our goal is to understand the unique biological reasons why these medications affect individuals differently. We are looking at specific genes and proteins that might predict how well someone will respond to treatment. This knowledge could help doctors choose the best medication for each patient and even lead to new, more effective treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with alcohol use disorder who have previously received or are considering treatment with acamprosate or naltrexone might be ideal candidates for future related studies.
Not a fit: Patients who do not have alcohol use disorder or are not interested in medication-based treatments may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more personalized and effective treatment plans for individuals with alcohol use disorder, improving their chances of recovery.
How similar studies have performed: Previous "Pharmaco-Omic" studies by this team have already identified novel biomarkers linked to acamprosate treatment outcomes, suggesting a promising foundation for this extended work.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- Mayo Clinic Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Weinshilboum, Richard M. — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Weinshilboum, Richard M.
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 below.