Weight loss injections, widely used to combat obesity, could also offer a new approach to treating cocaine addiction, according to scientists.
A recent study led by Professor Elisabet Jerlhag from the University of Gothenburg, in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania, found that semaglutide, sold under brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, reduced cocaine-seeking behaviour in rats.
The experiment allowed male rats to self-administer cocaine by pressing a lever. An experimental group treated with semaglutide showed a 26 per cent reduction in cocaine use compared with control animals. Jerlhag said: “This is the first trial showing semaglutide’s potential as a drug for cocaine dependence. Importantly, we also found that after a period of abstinence, there was a 62 per cent drop in cocaine seeking in those animals which had taken semaglutide and the motivation (work undertaken to attain the drug) was lowered by 52 per cent.”
She added: “Previous results, both from our group and from other groups, have found that semaglutide can reduce alcohol consumption and craving in both humans and animals, and this work on cocaine seems to reflect these previous findings on alcohol use.”
Jerlhag cautioned that the findings are preliminary. “This is animal work, so at the moment, we can’t say that we have anywhere near a viable treatment for human cocaine dependency. We need a bigger study to confirm these results, and then we need to see if the findings also apply to humans. However, these results are very promising, underlining the need for human studies, especially since there are no existing pharmacological treatments for cocaine dependency.”
Cocaine is the second most commonly used illegal drug in Europe, with around 2.7 million young adults aged 15-34 reported to use it regularly. In the UK, 2.7 per cent of adults use cocaine, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
Semaglutide belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 inhibitors, which are showing potential for treating a range of conditions, including obesity, cardiovascular problems, and mental health disorders. The study’s findings were published in the September edition of the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology.
