Nalmefene: New Drug Treatment Strategy for Drinking Problem?

Filed in archive Investigational , Treatment on July 10, 2007

A Finnish study on heavy drinkers, the craving-carving drug nalmefene can reduce heavy drinking days in problem drinkers when taken on an "as needed basis".

According to researcher Sakari Karhuvaara:

"It has a robust and sustained effect in reducing harmful heavy drinking in a large study population. Alcohol problems have huge negative impacts on the well-being of individuals and families and cause enormous costs to society due to lost working days, accidents, treatment of alcohol-related disease, etcetera."

Nalmefene - manufactured by Biotie Therapies Corporation (a Finnish company) - is an opioid antagonist that works to block the effects of endorphins.

Though nalmefene has not been approved by the FDA yet, the drug is primarily available in investigational studies.

Find more details from the full report.