Synosia to study potential first drug for cocaine addiction

Switzerland's Synosia Therapeutics has initiated a clinical trial to evaluate what could become the first drug therapy to treat cocaine dependence.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase IIa trial enrolling non-treatment-seeking cocaine dependent volunteers is investigating the safety and efficacy of SYN-117 (nepicastat), a selective dopamine beta-hydroxylase inhibitor when administered with cocaine. One of the key objectives of the study is to evaluate the effect of nepicastat on the subjective response to cocaine and includes a number of measures of the rewarding effects of the substance. Modulation of the subjective experience of the illegal drug is believed to be predictive of clinical efficacy in the treatment of cocaine dependence.

"Cocaine dependence is an important public health problem in the United States and Europe, but it's been somewhat of a neglected area in terms of medical research," said Synosia's chief executive, Ian Massey. "There are no medications currently available to treat cocaine dependence specifically. Current treatment focuses on cognitive behavioral therapy but we believe there is a real opportunity to develop a drug therapy that would change the way the body responds to cocaine," he added.