Lilly's MITP may treat alcohol addiction

A compound currently being developed by US drug major Eli Lilly has demonstrated the ability to prevent alcoholic behavior and relapse in animal models, according to a report in the UK's Daily Telegraph. The drug, known as MTIP, is a novel, orally-available corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptor 1 antognist which, the research shows, blocks the transduction of withdrawal-related chemical stress signals in alcohol-dependant rats.

The work, which is published in the current edition of the Journal of Neurosciences, was conducted by Markus Heilig and his team at the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in Bathesda, Maryland. The data show that MITP prevents the activity of CRF in response to stressful stimuli, but allowed it to function correctly under ordinary circumstances. The research also indicates that the compound may have a role in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders in which CRF levels are often elevated.