BACKGROUND:  The psychostimulant drug methamphetamine has gained notoriety from its recreational use, with an estimated 1.4 million addicts in the U.S. alone. The drug rapidly enters the brain to initiate a cascading release of norepinephrine and dopamine, leading to increased post-synaptic cell stimulation. Sustained elevation of dopamine levels caused by methamphetamine could eventually cause dopamine receptors to be downregulated, requiring higher dosage to satiate methamphetamine cravings, as well as contributing to dependence. No FDA-approved pharmacological treatments currently exist for suppressing methamphetamine cravings. With rising costs to the communities affected by methamphetamine consumption, there is an irrefutable need for a pharmacotherapy that aids in the reduction of its usage.

INNOVATION:  Investigators at UCLA have devised a medication treatment that reduces cravings for methamphetamine. A study conducted with methamphetamine-dependent human volunteers has shown that a treatment with this confidential drug abolished the desire for methamphetamine in addicted patients. Following five days of treatment with the confidential drug, patients received a "priming" dose of methamphetamine. While the group that received no treatment experienced increases in craving, the group that received a therapeutic dose of the subject drug reported significant reduction in methamphetamine cravings. Given the possible relationship between cravings and subsequent methamphetamine use, this treatment method provides a novel approach for treating methamphetamine addiction.

POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS 

• Pharmacotherapy-based rehabilitation of methamphetamine addiction.

ADVANTAGES

• Known pharmacokinetics of the confidential drug.
• Drug interaction data is available, with good tolerance in humans.

DEVELOPMENT-TO-DATE:  A double-blind randomized phase I clinical trial has been conducted.

Reference: UCLA Case No. 2007-094