Professor Emeritus of Addiction Medicine, Hannu Alho (University of Helsinki, Finland) discusses the need for effective treatment options to manage alcohol use disorder, focusing on odansetron as a newly emerging possibility. Ondansetron is a specific 5HT3-receptor antagonist, which blocks 5HT3 receptors in the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system, and has been used since the early 90s as an effective antiemetic in the prevention of chemo- and radiotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Here, Prof. Alho considers the rationale for its use in alcohol use disorder, the genetic segmentation approach, design and clinical data so far from the currently recruiting ONWARD study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04101227), and how this potential therapy could fit into clinical practice.
Questions
1. Is alcohol use really a big problem? What is the rationale for the use of ondansetron in the treatment of alcohol use disorder? (0:08)
2. Could you tell us a little about the aims and design of the ONWARD trial? What do the clinical data available so far suggest? (3:50)
3. Could you give us a brief overview of the proprietary companion diagnostic genetic test and its use in segmenting the trial population? (7:11)
See also the 2nd part of this interview: Hannu Alho – Potential of Ondansetron in Alcohol Use Disorder (Part 2)
Disclosures: Prof. Alho is the coordinating principal investigator of the ONWARD trial sponsored by Adial Pharmaceuticals.
Support: Interview commissioned and filming supported by Touch Medical Media. However, a company representative from Adial Pharmaceuticals did review this independent video interview prior to publication.
