Semaglutide Could Offer Potential Treatment for Cocaine Use Disorder

Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy; Novo Nordisk), a weight loss and diabetes glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, demonstrated significant reductions in cocaine-seeking behavior in rats, according to research conducted by scientists from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden and the University of Pennsylvania. The study authors, who published their findings in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology, noted that the results need to be confirmed in humans but suggest that the drug has the potential of being developed as a treatment for cocaine dependency.^1,2

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“This is animal work, so at the moment, we can’t say that we have anywhere near a viable treatment for human cocaine dependency. We need a bigger study to confirm these results, and then we need to see if the findings also apply to humans. However, these results are very promising, underlining the need for human studies, especially since there are no existing pharmacological treatments for cocaine dependency,” Elisabet Jerlhag, lead study author and professor at the University of Gothenburg, said in a news release.²

Understanding Cocaine Use Disorder

Cocaine use disorder (CUD) is a serious condition that impacts millions of individuals globally and does not have an effective pharmacological treatment option. Based on the DSM-5, CUD is diagnosed when an individual meets at least 2 of 11 specific criteria within a 12-month period, leading to significant impairment or distress. These criteria are grouped into 4 categories, including psychological symptoms like craving and withdrawal; a loss of control over cocaine use; prioritizing cocaine use over major life responsibilities; and other negative consequences resulting from its use.³

Semaglutide for Cocaine Use Disorder Treatment

Previous research has identified that exenatide (Bydureon; AstraZeneca), a GLP-1 used together with diet and exercise to treat type 2 diabetes (T2D), reduced some cocaine-related behaviors in animals but had limited effects on humans. In the current study, researchers assessed if semaglutide, which is a more potent and long-lasting GLP-1, could reduce cocaine-related behaviors in rats, including motivation and drug-seeking, along with its effects on dopamine levels.^1,2

The study included male rats that were given access to directly injected cocaine that was dispensed by pressing a lever in the cage. An experimental group of 10 of the animals was then treated with semaglutide at different doses, including 0.013 mg/kg, 0.026 mg/kg, or 0.039 mg/kg 1 hour before being given access to the cocaine dispenser.^1,2

“We found that in comparison to the control animals, self-administration of cocaine use dropped by 26% in those animals that had been given semaglutide. Previous results, both from our group and from other groups, have found that semaglutide can reduce alcohol consumption and craving in both humans and animals, and this work on cocaine seems to reflect these previous findings on alcohol use. This is the first trial showing semaglutide’s potential as a drug for cocaine dependence,” Jerlhag said in the news release. “Importantly, we also found that after a period of abstinence, there was a 62% drop in cocaine seeking in those animals that had taken semaglutide, and the motivation (work undertaken to attain the drug) was lowered by 52%.”²

The findings suggest semaglutide reduced voluntary cocaine use and the motivation to consume cocaine in rats that received treatment. Additionally, the higher doses of semaglutide reduced cocaine use, as the lower dose did not.^1,2

“This is a carefully conducted study that provides additional evidence that GLP-1 receptor agonists can reduce cocaine reinforcement. These findings have clinical implications given the challenges of identifying medications for stimulant use disorder and the increasing clinical use of semaglutide in many areas of the world. These findings should encourage clinical trials of GLP-1 receptor agonists for stimulant use disorder,” Christian Hendershot, professor of the Institute for Addiction at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, concluded in the news release.²

REFERENCES

1. Aranas C, Caffrey A, Edvardsson C, et al. Semaglutide suppresses cocaine taking, seeking, and cocaine-evoked dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. European Neuropsychopharmacology. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2025.07.001

2. Weight-loss drug semaglutide reduces cocaine use in rats: Suggests possible first pharmacological treatment for human cocaine dependency. EurekAlert! News release. September 3, 2025. Accessed September 12, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1096893

3. Schwartz E, Wolkowicz N. Aquino J. et al. Cocaine Use Disorder (CUD): Current Clinical Perspectives. Substance Abuse Rehabilitation. 2025. 10.2147/SAR.S337338