Ozempic helps curb alcohol use in new study

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Novo NordiskThe blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic could also help people drink less alcohol.

That’s because it was funded by the new government. the study It was featured in Jama Psychiatry last week.

It was a small study of just 48 adults that lasted more than two months, but it appears to be the first clinical trial to confirm that so-called GLP-1 drugs can help reduce the risk of consuming too much alcohol. Along with multiple analyses of actual data the study Animals suggest that link.

The findings can be enormous for people with alcohol use disorders. This is when a person cannot stop drinking, even if they put their health and safety at risk. This condition affects roughly 30 million people in the United States and encompasses what is commonly referred to as alcohol abuse, alcoholism and alcoholism. According to In a 2023 national survey of drug use and health.

Alcohol use accounts for 2.6 million deaths per year, increasing the risk of common diseases such as different cancers, the study authors write. There are three drugs already approved for alcohol use disorder, but the authors said that only a small share of patients with this condition is being treated.

New data adds to the growing evidence that GLP-1, such as Ozempic and its weight loss counterpart Wegovy, can help manage cravings as well as food and alcohol.

Several preliminary studies suggest drugs It may weaken your cravings Opioid use, gambling, and excessive shopping by preventing activation of the brain’s reward pathways due to smoking. GLP-1 mimics hormones produced in the intestines, suppressing human appetite and regulating blood glucose levels.

However, more and longer studies need to confirm the effects of these drugs on addictive behavior.

Let’s dive into the data.

The researchers recruited people aged 21 to 65 who reported symptoms of alcohol use disorder but were not actively seeking treatment. Patients with diabetes and those who have previously used GLP-1 or other weight loss medications Exclusion From the research.

Patients spent two hours in a lab room where they stocked their preferred alcoholic beverages before they began taking medication in the study. About half of people took a low dose of semaglutide, the active ingredient in ozenpic, and half received a placebo shot every week for nine weeks.

They also reported drinking habits and their desire for alcohol throughout their studies.

The results suggested that ozenpic injections reduce weekly alcohol cravings, reduce the average number of drinks consumed on drinking days, and significantly reduce heavy drinking days compared to placebo. In particular, the effect of ozenpic on reducing some drinking outcomes appears to be greater than that commonly found in existing medicines aimed at reducing alcohol cravings.

By the second month of the study, people who took Ozempic had consumed 30% less alcohol on average on the day they consumed alcohol. This is compared to an average decrease of about 2% in the placebo group.

Almost 40% of those taking Ozempic reported no heavy drinking days in the second month of treatment, compared to 20% in the placebo group.

The study authors noted that two lowest clinical doses of semaglutide were used in the trial. They added.

“These data suggest that similar drugs as semaglutide may meet unmet needs for the treatment of alcohol use disorders,” said Clara Klein, a senior author at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. statement. “While more research from a broader population is needed to fully understand the safety and efficacy of people with alcohol use disorders, these initial findings are promising.”

Among the small subgroups of people who smoked, those who took Ozempic had a significant reduction in average cigarette reduction per day compared to those in the placebo group. This suggests that ozempic may reduce both alcohol and nicotine use.

Eli Lily The plan is to study whether weight loss medications can help treat addictive behaviors such as alcohol and substance abuse. The company says it will begin large-scale clinical trials in 2025.

Feel free to send tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to annika annikakim.constantino@nbcuni.com.

With demand for the hit GLP-1 weight loss drugs has skyrocketed in recent years, some patients have turned to digital health companies such as: Hims & Hers Access Health, RO, Sesame, and NOOM medications. Primary care doctors don’t think that’s such a good idea.

Metabolic Health Startup Omada Released investigation Last week, we assessed attitudes towards GLP-1 and various treatment plans out of more than 2,000 primary care physicians. Overall, doctors said they are concerned about third-party telehealth providers.

Less than 20% of the physicians surveyed said they were used to patients using third-party telehealth providers to access GLP-1 medications. Two-thirds of respondents said they agreed that accessing prescriptions via third-party telehealth providers could put patient health at risk.

“It was amazing, I didn’t even think it would be that expensive,” President Omada Wei Xiao told CNBC in an interview.

Although Omada does not prescribe GLP-1, the company offers a companion program to support patients taking the medication. It is also intended to help patients maintain weight loss if they decide to stop taking the drug.

The company has found that key physicians are primarily concerned about third-party telehealth providers for two reasons: overprescribing and continuity of care. In other words, they are concerned that patients will have access to GLP-1 when they are not clinically appropriate and that they may not receive the support they need with additional touchpoints such as follow-up visits .

Additionally, many of the physicians surveyed are on the fence for the role of composite GLP-1, a custom-made alternative to branded drugs designed to meet the needs of specific patients. Combined drugs can also be produced if branded treatments are present Shortage.

The FDA does not review the safety and efficacy of composite products, but can serve as a branded drug alternative for patients navigating complex supply hurdles and uneven insurance coverage .

Approximately 45% of physicians surveyed said that compound GLP-1 would not be a long-term supply strategy, but agreed that it would help address the current shortage. Also, 30% of respondents said they agreed or strongly agreed to be comfortable with prescribing compound GLP-1.

“Patients or people looking for a solution are confused,” Xiao said. “Our position is to talk to your doctor, talk to your primary care doctor, know you, know your history, know what you are doing, and you are Knowing your goals and having a perspective on what is there. The right treatment that you worked with.”

Read the full report here.

Feel free to send tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to Ashley at ashley.capoot@nbcuni.com.

It’s only been a year since the FDA approved sickle cell gene therapy. But in some respects, the groundbreaking drug is still waiting for a fire to treat large patients.

In more than half of sickle cell patients covered in Medicaid, it may be difficult to expand compensation for sickle cell therapy. The state is already facing high health costs in its joint program with the federal government, and is enduring potential funding cuts from Congress. Private insurance companies also face higher medical costs.

CVS Health CEO David Joyner says private and government health plans are alike looking at new ways to manage the costs of groundbreaking gene therapy.

Send any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to Bertha bertha.coombs@nbcuni.com.