Injecting Hope: Repurposing GLP-1 Receptor Agonists for Treating Substance Use Disorders

Review of:

• the pharmacology and history of drug development of GLP-1 receptor agonists.

• proposed mechanisms of action by which GLP-1 receptor agonists might treat substance use disorders.

• evidence base to date supporting GLP-1 receptor agonists as treatment for substance use disorders.

• new and proposed clinical trials of GLP-1 receptor agonists as treatment for substance use disorders.

Presenter

Joji Suzuki MD, FACLP Director of the Division of Addiction Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Principal Investigator, SuzukiLab, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Program
Director, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

1. Describe the pharmacology of GLP-1 receptor agonists.
2. Evaluate the emerging evidence base for level of support for use of GLP-1 receptor agonists in treating substance use disorders.
3. Outline one research area underway to study GLP-1 receptor agonist use to treatment substance use disorders.

In support of improving patient care, Dartmouth Health is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. 

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Bibliographic Material

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• Angarita GA, Matuskey D, Pittman B, et al. Testing the effects of the GLP-1 receptor agonist exenatide on cocaine self-administration and subjective responses in humans with cocaine use disorder. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021;221:108614.

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• Calvarysky B, Dotan I, Shepshelovich D, Leader A, Cohen TD. Drug-Drug Interactions Between Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and Oral Medications: A Systematic Review. Drug Saf 2024;47(5):439–51.

• Hendershot CS, Bremmer MP, Paladino MB, et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry [Internet] 2025 [cited 2025 Feb 15];Available from: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.4789

• Klausen MK, Justesen SK, Pedersen JN, et al. Once-weekly semaglutide versus placebo in patients with alcohol use disorder and comorbid obesity: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The Lancet 2026;407(10540):1687–98.

• Klausen MK, Jensen ME, Møller M, et al. Exenatide once weekly for alcohol use disorder investigated in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. JCI Insight 2022;7(19):e159863.

• Pierret ACS, Mizuno Y, Saunders P, et al. Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and Mental Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Psychiatry 2025;82(7):643–53.

• Shen MR, Owusu-Boaitey K, Holsen LM, Suzuki J. The Efficacy of GLP-1 Agonists in Treating Substance Use Disorder in Patients: A Scoping Review. J Addict Med 2024;

• Wang W, Volkow ND, Berger NA, Davis PB, Kaelber DC, Xu R. Associations of semaglutide with incidence and recurrence of alcohol use disorder in real-world population. Nat Commun 2024;15(1):4548.

• Yammine L, Verrico CD, Versace F, et al. Exenatide as an adjunct to nicotine patch for smoking cessation and prevention of postcessation weight gain among treatment-seeking smokers with pre-diabetes and/or overweight: study protocol for a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial. BMJ Open 2023;13(6):e072707.

• Yammine L, Green CE, Kosten TR, et al. Exenatide Adjunct to Nicotine Patch Facilitates Smoking Cessation and May Reduce Post-Cessation Weight Gain: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Nicotine Tob Res Off J Soc Res Nicotine Tob 2021;23(10):1682–90.
  
  

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