1. Academic Validation
  2. Signaling-specific inhibition of the CB1 receptor for cannabis use disorder: phase 1 and phase 2a randomized trials

Signaling-specific inhibition of the CB1 receptor for cannabis use disorder: phase 1 and phase 2a randomized trials

  • Nat Med. 2023 Jun;29(6):1487-1499. doi: 10.1038/s41591-023-02381-w.
Margaret Haney # 1 Monique Vallée # 2 Sandy Fabre # 3 Stephanie Collins Reed 1 Marion Zanese 3 Ghislaine Campistron 3 Caroline A Arout 1 Richard W Foltin 1 Ziva D Cooper 1 4 Tonisha Kearney-Ramos 1 Mathilde Metna 3 Zuzana Justinova 5 Charles Schindler 5 Etienne Hebert-Chatelain 6 Luigi Bellocchio 2 Adeline Cathala 2 Andrea Bari 3 Roman Serrat 3 David B Finlay 7 Filippo Caraci 2 8 Bastien Redon 2 9 Elena Martín-García 10 Arnau Busquets-Garcia 2 11 Isabelle Matias 2 Frances R Levin 1 François-Xavier Felpin 12 Nicolas Simon 13 Daniela Cota 2 Umberto Spampinato 2 Rafael Maldonado 10 Yavin Shaham 5 Michelle Glass 7 Lars Lykke Thomsen 3 Helle Mengel 3 Giovanni Marsicano 2 Stéphanie Monlezun 3 Jean-Michel Revest 2 Pier Vincenzo Piazza 14
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
  • 2 University of Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France.
  • 3 Aelis Farma, Bordeaux, France.
  • 4 University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
  • 5 Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Baltimore, MD, USA.
  • 6 Department of Biology, University of Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada.
  • 7 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
  • 8 Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Italy, and Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Unit of Translational Neuropharmacology, Troina, Italy.
  • 9 Basic Neuroscience Department, Université de Genève, Genève, Switzerland.
  • 10 Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
  • 11 Cell-Type Mechanisms in Normal and Pathological Behavior Research Group, Neuroscience Programme, IMIM Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
  • 12 Nantes Université, CNRS, CEISAM, UMR 6230, Nantes, France.
  • 13 Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, INSERM, IRD, SESSTIM, Hop Sainte Marguerite, Service de Pharmacologie Clinique, Marseille, France.
  • 14 Aelis Farma, Bordeaux, France. pv.piazza@aelisfarma.com.
  • # Contributed equally.
Abstract

Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is widespread, and there is no pharmacotherapy to facilitate its treatment. AEF0117, the first of a new pharmacological class, is a signaling-specific inhibitor of the Cannabinoid Receptor 1 (CB1-SSi). AEF0117 selectively inhibits a subset of intracellular effects resulting from Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) binding without modifying behavior per se. In mice and non-human primates, AEF0117 decreased cannabinoid self-administration and THC-related behavioral impairment without producing significant adverse effects. In single-ascending-dose (0.2 mg, 0.6 mg, 2 mg and 6 mg; n = 40) and multiple-ascending-dose (0.6 mg, 2 mg and 6 mg; n = 24) phase 1 trials, healthy volunteers were randomized to ascending-dose cohorts (n = 8 per cohort; 6:2 AEF0117 to placebo randomization). In both studies, AEF0117 was safe and well tolerated (primary outcome measurements). In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover phase 2a trial, volunteers with CUD were randomized to two ascending-dose cohorts (0.06 mg, n = 14; 1 mg, n = 15). AEF0117 significantly reduced cannabis' positive subjective effects (primary outcome measurement, assessed by visual analog scales) by 19% (0.06 mg) and 38% (1 mg) compared to placebo (P < 0.04). AEF0117 (1 mg) also reduced cannabis self-administration (P < 0.05). In volunteers with CUD, AEF0117 was well tolerated and did not precipitate cannabis withdrawal. These data suggest that AEF0117 is a safe and potentially efficacious treatment for CUD.ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT03325595 , NCT03443895 and NCT03717272 .

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