Role of BP1.3656 on Alcohol Responses

Role of BP1.3656 on Alcohol Responses

The current study will determine whether a novel pharmacotherapy, BP1. 3656, affects laboratory alcohol self-administration in participants with alcohol use disorder (AUD).

The current study employs BP1.3656, a novel investigational compound with a track record for safety and tolerability in phase I clinical trials. When administered to mice, BP1.3656 was associated with increased metabolism of histamine and elevated brain dopamine and acetylcholine, suggestive of utility in psychiatric disorders including Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).

This study is a Phase II laboratory-based trial of BP1 .3656 for AUD. 40 non-treatment seeking participants with AUD will be recruited. Participants will be randomly assigned to intervention with BP1 .3656 or placebo in a within-subject, crossover design. During each intervention period, outcome measures relating to alcohol motivation and self-administration will be assessed in the laboratory. It is hypothesized that relative to placebo, alcohol self-administration will be decreased by BP1 .3656.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Fulfilling Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-5 criteria for AUD with endorsement of 4-8 symptoms
• Average weekly consumption ≥ 14 standard drinks for women and ≥ 21 standard drinks for men over the past 3 months
• Willingness to take study medication and participate in laboratory sessions requiring alcohol administration
• Able to give written informed consent
• Certified as healthy by a comprehensive clinical assessment. Alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels should not be more than 1.2 times normal

Exclusion Criteria:

• Seeking treatment for alcohol use (or current efforts to cut down or seek treatment)
• A Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment (CIWA) score of 8+ upon initial assessment
• Current medical conditions or medications that contraindicate receiving the study drug (based on the study physician's assessment)
• Meeting criteria for a current substance use disorder aside from alcohol or nicotine
• Recent recreational drug use (assessed via urine toxicology screen)
• History of gross psychiatric or neurological impairment (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, neurological disorders)
• Reported difficulty with intravenous procedures
• Self-report of significant alcohol-induced flushing after 1-2 drinks (a proxy for aldehyde dehydrogenase deficiency)
• Currently nursing or pregnant (females)
• Serious unstable medical condition
• Current use of medication that could increase the risk of BP1.3656B administration
• Having any clinical condition, drug sensitivity, or prior therapy which, in the investigator's opinion, makes the participant unsuitable for the study
• Any history of seizures