SEMAGLUTIDE reduced levels of heavy drinking among patients with moderate to severe alcohol use disorder and comorbid obesity in a 2026 randomised, placebo-controlled trial.
The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1) also had substantial effects on secondary alcohol-related and somatic outcomes.
Given the global burden of alcohol use disorder and comorbid obesity, researchers pointed to the promise of GLP-1s as novel treatments for mitigating alcohol intake.
Alcohol Use Disorder
Alcohol use disorder is a chronic brain disorder, accounting for 5% of global deaths per year.
Only three medications are approved for alcohol use disorder, researchers reported, highlighting the need for new therapies.
Authors pointed to the effects of GLP-1s on reward pathways and appetite regulation, suggesting potential use in addressing alcohol consumption.
Impact of Semaglutide on Heavy Drinking Over 26 Weeks
Researchers assigned participants to receive a once-weekly 2.4 mg dose of semaglutide or placebo for 26 weeks.
All participants were offered this alongside up to 10 standardised, 45-minute cognitive behavioural therapy sessions with a trained nurse.
There were 54 participants in both the semaglutide and placebo treatment cohorts, with 53 women and 55 men enrolled overall.
Semaglutide reduced heavy drinking days by an estimated 13.7 percentage points more than placebo.
It was also associated with decreases in overall alcohol consumption and craving scores and improved biomarkers of liver health.
A Potential Novel Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder
Findings support GLP-1s as a potential novel treatment target for alcohol use disorder.
Researchers stressed the significance of results in their potential (following further investigation) to impact millions worldwide, given the global burden of alcohol use disorder and comorbid obesity.
However, researchers noted that the study population was predominantly white, limiting generalisability.
They called for greater efforts to include diverse populations in future trials, with longer-time follow-ups beyond 26 weeks.
Reference
Klausen MK et al. Once-weekly semaglutide versus placebo in patients with alcohol use disorder and comorbid obesity: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2026;407(10540):1687–1698.
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