Researchers from Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the French biopharmaceutical company Aelis Farma conducted clinical trials for a drug intervention designed to treat cannabis use disorder (CUD). CUD is a condition in which excessive cannabis consumption interferes with work and personal life. The drug AEFO117 inhibits the signaling pathway of the cannabinoid receptor, potentially offering a safe and effective treatment for CUD. The findings are published in Nature Medicine.
The trial included 29 participants with CUD who received one of two different doses of AEF0117 in one 5-day phase and another 5-day phase with placebo in a randomized order. Participant reported cannabis-related positive mood effects were reduced by as much as 38%, with the drug also reducing the overall use of cannabis.
AEF0117 minimizes the psychoactive effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) at the CB1 receptors but does not disrupt the receptors’ physiological and behavioral functions. These functions include sleep, digestion, emotional regulation, memory, and learning. AEF0117 has a mechanism of action that inhibits only the cellular signals involved in CUD.
AEF0117 may help patients overcome problematic cannabis use patterns like overdependence and excessive consumption. Study author and director of Columbia University’s Cannabis Research Laboratory Dr. Margaret Haney explained, “We have tested over a dozen potential treatment medications in our Cannabis Research Laboratory, and this is the first to decrease both the positive mood effects of cannabis and the decision to use cannabis by daily smokers.” The findings can be used to develop and refine CUD treatments. Insights into cannabinoid mechanisms are also valuable for a broad range of drug development research.
Cannabis use disorder affects roughly 14 million individuals in the United States, and some policymakers are concerned this patient population may grow as more states legalize cannabis. Exploring drug interventions to minimize or prevent CUD will be critical as access to medical and legal cannabis increases.
Sources: Nature Medicine
