UW Joins 30-Site Brenipatide Trial to Curb Alcohol Addiction
Updated
Updated · KNKX Public Radio · Jun 14
UW Joins 30-Site Brenipatide Trial to Curb Alcohol Addiction
1 articles · Updated · KNKX Public Radio · Jun 14
Summary
University of Washington researchers have joined a 14-month international trial testing Eli Lilly’s GLP-1 drug brenipatide in adults with moderate to severe alcohol use disorder.
30 U.S. sites are participating, with UW the only Pacific Northwest location, as investigators assess whether the drug can reduce drinking or help patients stop altogether.
Researchers say the study builds on emerging evidence that GLP-1 medicines—already used for weight loss and diabetes—may blunt alcohol cravings by dampening internal cues linked to drinking.
Current alcohol-use medications are often inconsistently effective, and UW clinicians say a successful GLP-1 treatment could widen access by letting patients seek help through primary care rather than rehab alone.
The UW-led work is part of broader research into whether brenipatide can also help treat other addictions, including opioid and nicotine dependence.
Could a popular weight loss drug become the breakthrough cure for alcohol addiction?
If a new drug can treat alcoholism, could our DNA decide who it cures?
As new drugs promise to switch off cravings, are we medicalizing willpower itself?
Brenipatide Phase 3 Trial: Can Next-Gen GLP-1/GIP Agonists Cut Alcohol Use Disorder Deaths by 50%?
Overview
The University of Washington is leading the only Pacific Northwest site for the Phase 3 brenipatide trial, which is testing a GLP-1 agonist as a new treatment for alcohol addiction. This trial focuses on people whose alcohol use has deeply affected their lives and who have struggled to quit. Recent research shows that GLP-1 agonists may help people with substance use disorders, and the brenipatide trial aims to see if this approach can offer real hope for those battling alcohol addiction. If successful, it could provide a much-needed new option for treating this widespread health issue.