Incretin Drugs in Alcohol and Opioid Use Disorder Trials: Where the Research Stands in October 2026
TL;DR: Lilly's brenipatide is in Phase 2/3 trials for alcohol and opioid use disorder; semaglutide results are mixed. No incretin drug is approved for either.
Why Are Incretin Drugs Being Tested in Alcohol and Opioid Use Disorder?
Incretin-class drugs were developed for type 2 diabetes and obesity, but GLP-1 receptors are also expressed in brain circuits associated with reward. Rodent studies reported over the past decade have examined whether GLP-1 receptor agonism alters alcohol and opioid intake in animal models, and that preclinical work is the usual rationale given for the human studies now being registered. This page reports what the registrations and published trials say. It does not assess whether the approach works, and the evidence base remains early.
The news hook this week: an Endpoints News report dated 22 October 2026 described large trials pushing GLP-1 research beyond obesity, including Eli Lilly's work with brenipatide in alcohol use disorder and depression, and academic work with Novo Nordisk's semaglutide.[1]
What Brenipatide Trials Are Registered?
Brenipatide (LY3537031) is an investigational Eli Lilly compound. Three trials in substance-use indications appear on ClinicalTrials.gov:
| Trial | Registry ID | Phase | Indication | Status reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RENEW-ALC-1 | NCT07219966 | 3 | Moderate-to-severe alcohol use disorder | Recruiting |
| RENEW-ALC-2 | NCT07219953 | 3 | Alcohol use disorder | Recruiting; start 16 Oct 2025, listed to Apr 2028 |
| RENEW-Op-1 | NCT07420283 | 2 | Opioid use disorder, adjunct to buprenorphine | Start Feb 2026; about 465 participants planned |
The alcohol trials are described as randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled. The opioid trial is a Phase 2 study with a separate open-label cohort.[2][3] No efficacy data for brenipatide has been published in any indication, and secondary websites describing other brenipatide programmes should be checked against the registry before being relied on.
What Have the Semaglutide Alcohol Use Disorder Trials Reported?
Semaglutide, a licensed GLP-1 receptor agonist, has been the most-studied incretin in this area, in academic rather than registrational trials.
A single-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in treatment-seeking adults with moderate-to-severe alcohol use disorder and obesity, who also received cognitive behavioural therapy. Over 26 weeks, heavy-drinking days fell more in the semaglutide group than the placebo group, with an estimated difference of about 13.7 percentage points.[4]
The trial did not meet its primary endpoints: laboratory-measured craving and drinks per day did not differ significantly from placebo. Secondary measures, including heavy-drinking days and alcohol-related consequences, favoured semaglutide. The authors framed the result as supporting further development.[5]
Taken together, these are small, early studies with mixed primary-endpoint results. The Lancet trial population was restricted to people with comorbid obesity, so findings may not generalise. Any use of semaglutide for alcohol use disorder is outside its licensed indications.
Is Any Incretin Drug Approved for Addiction?
No. As of 24 October 2026 we found no regulatory approval of any GLP-1-class drug for alcohol or opioid use disorder. Brenipatide remains investigational, and semaglutide's role is confined to academic trials.
Regulatory decisions in these indications would rest on the Phase 3 programme. With RENEW-ALC-2 listed to run until April 2028, results are unlikely to be available in the near term.
What Is Known About Safety in Opioid Use Disorder Populations?
Safety and efficacy are separate questions. A claims-based safety analysis of GLP-1 receptor agonist use in people with opioid use disorder is covered in our guide on the 2026 GLP-1 and opioid use disorder safety study; it examined adverse-event outcomes in adults prescribed these drugs for approved indications and did not test whether they affect substance use.
How Does This Relate to Research-Use Retatrutide?
It does not directly. Retatrutide is a separate investigational GLP-1/GIP/glucagon triple agonist whose Phase 3 programme is in obesity-related indications; see our retatrutide research overview for the published programme. It is not part of the addiction trials above. Licensed pharmaceutical development, which runs under regulatory oversight, is distinct from research-use compounds, and Velox Peptides supplies retatrutide strictly as an HPLC-verified in vitro research reagent with no dosing guidance or human-use claims. See whether research peptides are legal in the UK for the regulatory framework.
This article reports third-party trial registrations and publications; it makes no claims about Velox Peptides products. Where supplied by Velox Peptides, retatrutide is a research reagent, not a medicine, and has not been evaluated by the MHRA or FDA in our products. Not for human or veterinary use. See our Research Use Policy and MHRA Statement.
References
- Endpoints News. "Big trials push beyond obesity to see if GLP-1s can quell alcohol, drug cravings." 22 October 2026. endpoints.news
- ClinicalTrials.gov. RENEW-ALC-1, NCT07219966, and RENEW-ALC-2, NCT07219953 (Eli Lilly and Company). NCT07219966 · NCT07219953 · Lilly trial portal
- ClinicalTrials.gov. A Study of Brenipatide in Participants With Opioid Use Disorder (RENEW-Op-1), NCT07420283. clinicaltrials.gov
- Once-weekly semaglutide versus placebo in patients with alcohol use disorder and comorbid obesity: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The Lancet. 2026. thelancet.com
- Oral Semaglutide for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. American Journal of Psychiatry, 2026. PubMed 42522065
- Velox Peptides. Retatrutide research overview. veloxpeps.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Is brenipatide approved for alcohol or opioid use disorder?
No. Brenipatide (LY3537031) is an investigational Eli Lilly compound. As of 24 October 2026 it is being studied in registered Phase 3 alcohol use disorder trials (RENEW-ALC-1, NCT07219966; RENEW-ALC-2, NCT07219953) and a Phase 2 opioid use disorder trial (RENEW-Op-1, NCT07420283). No efficacy results have been published and no regulator has approved it for any indication.
Is semaglutide approved for alcohol use disorder?
No. Semaglutide is licensed for other indications. Randomised trials in alcohol use disorder, including one in The Lancet (2026) and a phase 2 oral semaglutide trial in the American Journal of Psychiatry, are academic investigations. The oral trial missed its primary endpoints, and any use for alcohol use disorder would be off-label.
What is the difference between a Phase 2 and Phase 3 trial?
Phase 2 trials are smaller studies that explore efficacy signals and safety in a defined population; Phase 3 trials are larger confirmatory studies, usually randomised and placebo-controlled, designed to support regulatory submissions. Brenipatide is registered at Phase 3 for alcohol use disorder and Phase 2 for opioid use disorder.
Does this article say incretin drugs treat addiction?
No. This page reports on registered trials and published academic studies by third parties. It makes no claim that any compound treats, prevents or reduces any condition, and it gives no usage guidance.
Does this affect Velox Peptides' research-reagent retatrutide?
No. Retatrutide is a different investigational molecule (a GLP-1/GIP/glucagon triple agonist) and is not part of the addiction trials discussed here. Velox Peptides supplies it strictly as an HPLC-verified in vitro research reagent with no therapeutic or human-use claims. View Retatrutide →