Danish pharmaceutical firm Lundbeck has manufactured a new drug named nalmefene to help heavy drinkers reduce the amount of alcohol they consume.
The drug has been recommended in final draft guidance by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
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Nalmefene is an opioid receptor modulator, which exhibits antagonist activity at the mu and delta opioid receptors and partial agonist activity at the kappa opioid receptors.
NICE has not yet published final guidance to the National Health Service (NHS).
Also called Selincro, Nalmefene should be made available to people who regularly drink high amounts of alcohol, NICE said in a statement.
Final guidance on the use of nalmefene is scheduled to be published next month and NICE said about 600,000 people would be eligible to receive the drug.
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By GlobalDataTaken as a tablet once a day on an as-needed basis, Nalmefene reduces the urge to drink alcohol and is licensed for use along with psychosocial support.
NICE Health Technology Evaluation Centre director professor Carole Longson said: "Alcohol dependence is a serious issue for many people.
"Those who could be prescribed nalmefene have already taken the first big steps by visiting their doctor, engaging with support services and taking part in therapy programmes.
"We are pleased to be able to recommend the use of namelfene to support people further in their efforts to fight alcohol dependence.
"When used alongside psychosocial support nalmefene is clinically and cost-effective for the NHS compared with psychosocial support alone."
According to NICE, until final guidance is published, decisions should be made locally on the funding of the treatment.
Drinking more than 7.5 units per day for men and over five units per day for women is defined as high alcohol consumption, by the World Health Organization (WHO).
