Researchers in Allegheny County are planning a $13.3 million clinical trial to study whether semaglutide, the drug sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, could help treat alcohol and opioid addiction.
The Center for Addiction Science, Policy and Research (CASPR) and the Allegheny County Department of Human Services expect to launch the study in early 2027 and will enroll up to 1,200 adults with alcohol and/or opioid use disorder. Half of the participants will be randomly assigned to receive semaglutide weekly for 52 weeks.
Semaglutide is classified as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, which is primarily used to treat Type 2 diabetes and manage weight. Emerging research suggests these medications also could influence cravings and behaviors associated with substance use.
Allegheny County’s trial builds on international efforts to understand whether GLP-1 medications reduce drug and alcohol use among individuals with substance use disorders.
“Research on GLP-1RAs and addiction shows that they can often help restore personal agency. Rather than feeling dragged down by cravings — whether it’s for sugar, alcohol, or drugs — GLP-1s help quiet that noise for many people,” said Nicholas Reville, executive director and co-founder of CASPR.
UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital’s addiction medicine services will serve as the lead clinical site, along with other addiction treatment partners in Allegheny County.
The treatment is intended to supplement, not replace, traditional care. The trial will examine whether semaglutide improves outcomes for participants and whether those benefits are significant enough to justify continued public investment.
The trial is funded by Arnold Ventures, a Houston-based philanthropic organization. Unlike most addiction medication trials, which primarily measure substance use, Allegheny County officials will also evaluate a broader range of outcomes, Jutca said.
Using administrative data, the county plans to assess whether GLP-1 drugs improve employment, housing stability, health care utilization and outcomes involving the criminal justice system.
The broader approach reflects the county’s view of recovery as a process that extends beyond substance use, said Alex Jutca, director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services.
“We know that our clients think about recovery in a much more holistic sense, that they think about: … ‘am I able to hold down a job? Am I earning more? Am I with my family and community? Am I out of the criminal justice system?’ Those are the other outcomes that we’re going to be looking at,” Jutca said.
Researchers also will examine healthcare use and costs, housing instability, mental health, self-control and impulsivity, weight and total fiscal and social costs.
The trial is part of the Allegheny Recovery Partnership, which was launched in September to overhaul the county’s previous substance use disorder treatment system in an effort to strengthen connections between different levels of care to keep people engaged over time.
Jutca said the trial will use enrollment incentives, peer support from people with lived experience and follow-ups from clinicians and research coordinators to help keep participants involved.
The research team includes experts in addiction medicine, economics and public policy from the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, MIT, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of California, San Diego.
Western Psychiatric Hospital Senior Academic Director Antoine Douaihy, who is also a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, said the trial “holds great promise to change the landscape of addiction treatment.”
Researchers will focus on recruiting people who are at risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system.
The trial is expected to last four years, with participants enrolled on a rolling basis over the first three years. Each participant will have access to the GLP-1 medication for 52 weeks after enrollment, meaning the final group of participants will complete treatment during the fourth year.
Jutca said the staggered enrollment process is necessary to accommodate the logistical challenges of recruiting and medically screening enough participants.