Exenatide For Reducing the Reinforcing Effects of Cocaine

NCT06252623 · Withdrawn

Last updated 2026-05-28

This clinical trial is testing whether the medication exenatide can reduce the craving for cocaine in adults with cocaine use disorder.

Status Withdrawn Stopped before any participant enrolled.

Phase Phase 1 Checks safety and dosing in a small group.

Type Interventional (clinical trial)

Design Randomized, quadruple-blind treatment study

Who can join Ages 18–65 · all sexes

Timeline Started 2024-08 · est. completion 2026-12

Where 1 site · United States

What this study is testing ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06252623 ↗

Description as written by the study sponsor.

This study will determine the safety and tolerability of exenatide (Bydureon®) as a pharmacotherapy for cocaine use disorder. An inpatient human laboratory study will be conducted in which the self-administration of cocaine, as well as the subjective and physiological effects of cocaine, are evaluated during maintenance on placebo and exenatide. Although exenatide (Bydureon) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, it has not been approved by the FDA to treat cocaine use; therefore, it is called an investigational drug.

Treatments tested

Exenatide also known as Bydureon Drug

Exenatide will be purchased commercially as Bydureon® for subcutaneous injection and administered at 2 mg once a week for 6 weeks. Each single-dose, dual-chamber pen contains 0.65 mg of diluent and 2 mg of exenatide, which remains isolated until mixed.
Placebo also known as saline Drug

Sterile saline will be used as the placebo and administered subcutaneously once a week for 6 weeks.

Main thing measured	Proportion of up to 10 active cocaine doses
Sponsor	Christopher D. Verrico
Conditions studied	Cocaine Use Disorder
GLP-1 drugs	exenatide

Full protocol, eligibility, and contacts on ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06252623 ↗