Using semaglutide to help reduce alcohol consumption

Semaglutide Therapy for Alcohol Reduction - Tulsa

This study is testing if the medication semaglutide can help people with alcohol use disorder drink less over 12 weeks.

Quick facts

• Phase: PHASE2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 80 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences (other)
• Locations: 1 site (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
• Trial ID: NCT05891587 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This clinical trial investigates the effectiveness and safety of semaglutide, a medication typically used for weight management, in reducing alcohol consumption among individuals diagnosed with alcohol use disorder. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either semaglutide or a placebo over a 12-week period, with doses gradually increased according to a specific schedule. The study includes various assessments such as fMRI, fNIRS, and virtual reality experiments, along with questionnaires and behavioral therapy modules to evaluate the impact of the treatment. Regular monitoring for adverse events will ensure participant safety throughout the trial.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 and older who meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder and have a significant history of alcohol consumption.

Not a fit: Patients who do not meet the diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorder or have a CIWA-Ar score greater than 10 may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this treatment could provide a new therapeutic option for individuals struggling with alcohol use disorder.

How similar studies have performed: While the use of semaglutide for alcohol reduction is a novel approach, similar studies targeting addiction with pharmacological interventions have shown promise.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Ability to provide informed consent before any trial-related activities
2. Male or female individuals who are at least 18 years old
3. Alcohol Use Disorder (minimum 2 symptoms on a validated diagnostic tool, e.g., DSM-5 Checklist for Alcohol Use Disorder, the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) or the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID))
4. Self-reported drinking, according to alcohol TimeLine Follow-Back (TLFB), of \> 7 drinks per week for females or \> 14 drinks per week for males during the 28-day period prior to screening + at least four days with \> 3 drinks for females or \> 4 drinks for males during the 28-day period prior to screening.
5. Most recent Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol - revised (CIWA-Ar) score is ≤ 10
6. Able to speak, read, write, and understand English
7. Normal or corrected-to-normal (e.g., wearing glasses or contacts) vision and normal or corrected-to-normal (e.g., with the use of a hearing aid) hearing
8. Female participants must be postmenopausal for at least one year, surgically sterile, or practicing a highly effective method of birth control before entry and throughout the study and must have a negative urine pregnancy test at each visit. Examples of birth control methods include (but are not limited to) oral contraceptives or contraceptive implants, barrier methods such as diaphragms with contraceptive jelly, cervical caps with contraceptive jelly, condoms, intrauterine devices, a partner with a vasectomy, or abstinence from intercourse.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. BMI \< 25 kg/m2 or BMI ≥ 50 kg/m2
2. Evidence of malnutrition as determined by the Nutrition Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002)
3. Most recent blood tests: creatinine ≥ 2 mg/dL, eGFR ≤ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, triglycerides \> 500 mg/dl, ALP \> 4x the upper normal limit, abnormal blood lipase levels
4. Present diagnosis of diabetes or blood hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥ 6.5 %
5. Current use of the following medications with glucose lowering properties: GLP-1 analogues, sulfonylurea, insulin, metformin, thiazolidinediones (TZD), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-IV) inhibitors, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors
6. Current or prior use of semaglutide (Ozempic or Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro).
7. Use of weight-lowering/anti-obesity medications within the past 90 days prior to enrollment in the study.
8. Current use of FDA-approved pharmacotherapy for AUD (acamprosate, disulfiram, naltrexone), or other medications that are used for AUD treatment including topiramate and bupropion. Due to the half-life of injectable naltrexone, we will exclude participants who have taken vivitrol in the past 30 days.
9. Current use of medications with known interactions with semaglutide
10. Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
11. Known history of alcoholic ketoacidosis, pancreatitis (either acute or chronic), pancreatic carcinoma, gallbladder disease, jaundice, Mallory-Weiss syndrome (esophageal tears secondary to vomiting), esophageal varices, cirrhosis
12. Known history of gastric bypass surgery
13. Known or suspected allergy to semaglutide, any of the product components, or any other GLP-1 analogue
14. Known history of suicidal attempts (within the past 24 months) or active suicidal ideation
15. Known history of vestibular disorders or clinically significant motion sickness
16. Known history of noise-induced hearing loss or tinnitus
17. Only for subjects undergoing brain scan: contraindication(s) for brain fMRI
18. Unstable cardiovascular conditions (e.g., arrhythmias, clinically significant ECG abnormalities)
19. Physical and/or mental health conditions that are clinically unstable, as determined by the study clinicians, including (but not limited to) major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder unstable within the past three months or other psychiatric conditions (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder) unstable within the past twelve months.
20. Current stimulant or opioid use disorder.
21. Any other reason or clinical condition that the Investigators judge would interfere with study participation and/or be unsafe for a possible subject

Where this trial is running

Tulsa, Oklahoma

• OSU Biomedical Imaging Center — Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States (RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: William K Simmons, Ph.D. — Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences
• Study coordinator: Katie Thompson, LMSW

Conditions: Alcohol Use Disorder, Alcohol, Ozempic, Wegovy, Semaglutide, Addiction, Substance Use, Alcohol drinking