Weight-loss drugs may reduce opioid and alcohol abuse by up to 50%, study finds

MW Weight-loss drugs may reduce opioid and alcohol abuse by up to 50%, study finds

By Ciara Linnane

Study of data from more than 500,000 patients with abuse disorder produced positive findings

Weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic, made by Denmark's Novo Nordisk, can reduce rates of opioid and alcohol abuse by up to 50%, according to a new study that supports expectations the drugs can offer greater benefits than just weight and diabetes management.

The report, which was published in the scientific journal Addiction, analyzed data from more than 500,000 patients with a history of either opioid use disorder, or OUD, or alcohol use disorder, or AUD.

Researchers found that taking either GLP-1 drugs or GIP drugs reduced rates of OUD by 40% and AUD by 50%.

Novo Nordisk's $(NVO)$ (DK:NOVO.B) Wegovy and Ozempic and Eli Lilly's $(LLY)$ Mounjaro mimic the effects of a gut hormone known as GLP-1, which can help control blood-sugar levels and reduce appetite. Mounjaro also affects another hormone, called GIP.

The drugs have been approved in the U.S. and Europe to treat diabetes or obesity and have proved so popular they have led to shortages.

Prescriptions "appear to be associated with lower rates of opioid overdose and alcohol intoxication in patients with opioid use disorder and alcohol use disorder," the authors wrote.

The protective effects "are consistent across various subgroups, including patients with comorbid Type 2 diabetes and obesity," they said.

See now: Obesity drugs in kindergarten? Novo Nordisk GLP-1 drug works for kids as young as 6, study finds.

The news comes as rates of substance abuse continue to rise across the U.S. There were 107,000 deaths by drug overdose in 2021, six times higher than the 18,000 counted in 1999.

As deaths rose, the share of fatalities caused by opioids climbed to more than 75% in 2021.

Opioid deaths have spiked since the introduction of oxycontin by Purdue Pharma in 1996 and the company's aggressive marketing of the painkiller. The drug and the Stamford, Conn.-based company have become synonymous with the crisis, along with Purdue's owners, the Sackler family.

"As substance use disorders $(SUD.AU)$ such as OUD and AUD are widely prevalent and detrimental to population health, it is essential that effective treatments for drug use are identified and made readily available to those who could benefit," the researchers wrote.

GLP-1 drugs have had some success in treating other disorders, as well.

Liraglutide, a GLP-1 drug also made by Novo Nordisk and marketed under the names Victoza and Saxenda, may reduce cognitive decline in people with mild Alzheimer's disease by as much as 18% after one year of treatment compared with a placebo, according to a study led by Imperial College London and presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Philadelphia.

In April, Lilly said two late-stage trials evaluating a 10 mg or 15 mg injection of Zepbound, which the company markets for weight loss, reduced the severity of sleep apnea by up to nearly two-thirds in adults with obstructive sleep apnea and obesity.

Other indications being studied include fatty liver disease, kidney disease and heart disease.

Novo Nordisk's U.S.-traded stock was up 0.6% Thursday and has gained about 16% in the year to date. Eli Lilly's stock was up 0.6% and has gained 58% year to date. The S&P 500 SPX has gained 22%.

Now read: Novo Nordisk CEO spars with lawmakers over Ozempic, Wegovy prices

Related: Obesity drugs' next wave: These companies could snag 20% of GLP-1 market, analysts say

-Ciara Linnane

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October 19, 2024 10:33 ET (14:33 GMT)

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