New drugs promise treatments for alcoholism

Easing withdrawal symptoms
Campral can help alcoholics remain sober by easing withdrawal symptoms and reversing drinking-induced imbalances in brain chemistry. The drug costs $3.70 for an average daily dose of six tablets.

Cambridge-based Alkermes Inc. expects to hear back from federal regulators by Sept. 30 on its application to begin marketing its new drug, Vivitrex, to doctors specializing in addiction medicine. In a clinical trial, the number of heavy drinking days per month among patients taking Vivitrex and undergoing counseling was reduced from an average 19 days to three over six months.

Vivitrex is a reformulation of naltrexone that is administered by monthly injection at a doctor’s office, a potentially easier treatment option to follow for an alcoholic in recovery than a daily pill regimen.

Robert Hazlett, a drug industry analyst with SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, said emerging alcoholism treatments will only become commercial successes if more doctors consider prescribing them and insurers provide reimbursement.

“Even though there may be some good drugs available, it may take some time until they are more widely accepted,” Hazlett said.

Many insurers include the older treatments Antabuse and naltrexone on their lists of preferred drugs, as well as coverage for inpatient and outpatient treatment. Reimbursement for the newer drug Campral varies from plan to plan, with some covering it and some not, said Larry Akey of America’s Health Insurance Plans, a trade group for insurers.

Richard Pops, Alkermes’ chief executive officer, expects insurers will eventually embrace his company’s treatment and emerging rival drugs that he says will expand the market rather than take away from sales of existing medications.

“Alcoholism is so undertreated right now that there’s room for a number of very important drugs,” he said. “I think it’s the furthest thing from a zero-sum market I can imagine.”

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