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People have been looking for remedies to addiction and alcoholism for years. A drug that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2006 has been shown to decrease cravings for alcohol, causing it to be of great interest to physicians that deal regularly with alcoholics. Originally available in a once-a-day tablet, naltrexone was used for a few years to treat alcoholism. When taken regularly, this drug can reduce the days that a person consumes alcohol, as well as the amount of alcohol an individual drinks when they do drink. The problem with the tablet form, however, is that it is a daily pill and getting an alcoholic to take a pill every day to keep them sober is difficult at times. You have to really want to be sober to get yourself to take the pill.
Vivitrol®: once a month
After this obstacle was discovered, a new injectable version of the drug was developed, Vivitrol®. Manufactured by the company Alkermes Inc. (Click here for a message from an Alkermes employee), Vivitrol® can be injected into the patient once a month to provide 30 days of treatment. Seems like a good solution, but there have been drawbacks to this injectable form also. First of all, the injection has to be given deep in the gluteal muscles which may not be as favorable for physicians and patients who are used to dealing with pills and liquid medications. Second, the drug is costly, which has led to a smaller group of people making use of it. These things, along with the uncertain results and side effects with some patients, have prohibited the drug from selling very well.
Opponents of the drug
Some may argue that the use of drugs to treat addiction is pointless, and that using a medication like this only adds to the entrapment by drugs. These opponents argue for psychotherapy and counseling to get alcoholics past their addiction. While it would be nice to have a “quick fix” for alcoholism, it is not realistic to think that a single pill or injection can cure one’s addiction problems.
Redevelopment of the drug
Alkermes Inc. has recently announced that they will begin focusing on selling naltrexone to treat opioid addiction. Alkermes will continue to sell VIVITROL® for alcohol dependence, while also running clinical studies to expand the label into opiate addiction. According to research done by Alkermes, the market for a drug that is injected will be greater among opioid addicts and their physicians. With the sales from this drug for alcoholics remaining low, and risk of stock values decreasing this year, this decision is seen as a quick move in order to increase the manufacturer’s gains.
Whether or not Alkermes can successfully market Vivitrol® to alcoholics and their physicians, it is important to continue to study this drug to find out all the potentials of its use. A new study to be published in the February 2009 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research shows that Vivitrol® does successfully lessen the consumption of alcohol in patients, as well as increase their quality of life. Other studies have shown that maybe seasonal shots of the drug would be effective in getting patients past difficult times, such as the holidays. It is possible that we can only begin to imagine the possibilities that lay ahead for humans and their treatment of addiction.
Sources
Kluger, Jeffrey An Injection to Cure Holiday Drinking? Dec. 18, 2008
Naltrexone And Alcoholism Treatment
Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 28 Executive Summary and Recommendations
Nathan, Vidya ANALYSIS-Alkermes’ Vivitrol needs opioid market to boost sales December 22, 2008
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