Ozempic, Novo Nordisk’s (NOVOb.CO) blockbuster GLP-1 diabetes drug showed improvements in some indicators of alcohol use disorder in a small clinical trial.

The nine-week study included 48 participants with moderately severe alcohol use disorder who were given either a weekly dose of Ozempic or a placebo.

Before the trial, participants were invited to drink their preferred alcoholic beverages for two hours in a comfortable setting.

In a follow-up drinking session at the end of the trial, those who received Ozempic consumed significantly less alcohol than they had in the initial session—an effect not observed in the placebo group, according to results published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Ozempic Reduces Alcohol Cravings but Not Drinking Frequency

While Ozempic significantly lowered participants’ weekly alcohol cravings, there was no substantial difference between the groups in terms of drinking frequency. The average number of drinks per day, measured over the total duration of the study, decreased similarly in both groups.

However, when researchers analyzed the number of drinks consumed only on days when participants did drink, the reduction was more pronounced in the Ozempic group. Over time, the drug was also associated with a more significant decrease in binge drinking days—defined as four or more drinks for women and five or more for men.

The findings suggest that semaglutide—the active ingredient in both Ozempic and Novo’s higher-dose weight-loss drug Wegovy—and similar medications could help address an unmet need in alcohol use disorder treatment, said Klara Klein, lead researcher, and faculty member at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

New-generation diabetes and weight-loss drugs are being studied for various other health conditions, including cardiovascular protection and sleep apnea.

“Larger, longer-term studies in broader populations are needed,” Klein noted. “But these initial findings are promising.” (Reuters)