Semaglutide may one day be used to treat cocaine addiction

A drug already prescribed for type 2 diabetes and obesity may one day be used to treat cocaine addiction. In animal studies, researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, found that semaglutide reduced both cocaine use and relapse.

One of the world's most prescribed drugs for type 2 diabetes and obesity, semaglutide also reduced rats' motivation to keep taking cocaine. Scientists believe the drug may blunt cocaine's ability to raise dopamine levels in the brain, lowering the sense of reward. Exactly how semaglutide works in the brain is still not fully understood.

The study, published in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology, was based on experiments in which rats were trained to self-administer cocaine. On average, cocaine use dropped by 26 percent, relapse-like behavior by 62 percent, and motivation to seek the drug by 52 percent.

Needs to be tested in humans

The lead author is Cajsa Aranäs, a researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg:

"Our results show that an established drug can affect key behaviors behind cocaine addiction. We hope this could open the way for new treatments, but clinical trials are needed before we know if the same effect is seen in patients."

No approved drugs today

Elisabet Jerlhag, Professor of Pharmacology at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, led the study:

"There is a pressing demand for treatments for cocaine addiction. Currently, no drugs are available, and the risk of relapse is very high. If these findings in rats hold up in clinical trials, semaglutide could become the first pharmacological option to complement psychological therapy and support programs."

Several GLP-1 receptor drugs are currently approved worldwide, but semaglutide is the best known, sold under names such as Ozempic and Wegovy.