Researchers have reported a significant breakthrough in the treatment of cocaine use disorder (CUD), revealing that mavoglurant, a novel pharmaceutical compound, substantially reduces cocaine consumption among patients suffering from this challenging addiction. The findings come from a Phase 2 clinical trial conducted across multiple locations including Switzerland, Spain, and Argentina, and were recently published in Science Translational Medicine.
Mavoglurant works by targeting specific glutamate receptors in the brain, thought to be involved in addiction pathways. The new study evaluated the drug's efficacy over a treatment period of approximately 14 weeks, comparing it with a placebo in a randomized controlled design. Patients enrolled in the study were adults aged 18-65 years diagnosed with CUD, who primarily used cocaine via snorting and had a clear intention to reduce or cease usage.
Participants in the mavoglurant group showed a marked decrease in cocaine use days compared to the placebo group, measured by the Timeline Follow-back method (TLFB). This method involves participants recalling and documenting their daily substance use, providing detailed and accurate patterns of cocaine consumption over the treatment period.
Specifically, mavoglurant administration led to a decrease in cocaine use days by approximately 7% more than placebo over the treatment period. Moreover, at certain checkpoints throughout the study, particularly during weeks 4 and 12, the differences in cocaine use days between the mavoglurant and placebo groups were even more pronounced, suggesting that the drug's effects may become more evident over sustained treatment.
Additionally, a supplementary analysis showed that participants treated with mavoglurant also exhibited significant reductions in alcohol use, indicating that the compound might also positively impact broader patterns of substance abuse. Participants taking mavoglurant had fewer days of alcohol consumption during the study compared to those receiving placebo, further highlighting its potential benefit in addiction treatment.
Safety and tolerability are critical for any new medication, especially those targeting addiction, and mavoglurant was generally well-tolerated by study participants. Commonly reported side effects included headache, dizziness, nausea, and insomnia, but these were generally mild and comparable between mavoglurant and placebo groups. Importantly, there were no significant safety concerns that could undermine the drug's potential clinical application.
Beyond the reduction in substance use, the trial explored additional mental health parameters such as depression and anxiety, measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), respectively. Participants receiving mavoglurant showed promising improvements in depressive and anxiety symptoms compared to placebo, suggesting that mavoglurant's therapeutic effects might extend beyond reducing drug intake to improving overall psychological well-being.
This study signifies a hopeful step forward in the long search for effective pharmacological treatments for cocaine dependence. However, the researchers emphasize that further extensive clinical trials are required to confirm these initial findings and fully establish mavoglurant’s efficacy and safety profile for broad clinical application.
The detailed scientific article, including supplementary materials with comprehensive statistical analyses, clinical protocols, and safety data, can be accessed directly through Science Translational Medicine: https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.adi4505
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