Old gout drug could help curb alcohol cravings, new trial suggests

NCT ID NCT07118618

Disease control Sponsor: Brown University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This Phase 2 trial tests whether probenecid, a drug currently used for gout, can reduce alcohol cravings and drinking in people with alcohol use disorder. Over 16 weeks, 120 participants will receive either probenecid or a placebo, and researchers will measure changes in craving and alcohol consumption. The goal is to see if this drug offers a new way to help manage alcohol use disorder.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Probenecid (oral tablet, 2 grams daily)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a new treatment option to help people with alcohol use disorder reduce cravings and drinking.
What could go wrong: This is an early Phase 2 trial with only 120 people, so results may not apply to everyone. Probenecid can cause side effects like kidney issues or allergic reactions.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 2

Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.

Participants

About 120 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Mar 2026

Expected to finish

Dec 2030

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * • Male or female, ≥18 years. * women \>7 drinks/week; men \>14 drinks/week. * meet moderate to severe AUD score for DSM-5 criteria. * Breath Alcohol Content (BrAC)=0.00 at each visit. * in good health as confirmed by medical history, physical examination and lab tests. * willing to adhere to the study procedures. * understand informed consent and questionnaires in English at an 8th grade level. Exclusion Criteria: * • Women who are breastfeeding or positive urine test for pregnancy. * clinically significant medical abnormalities: unstable hypertension, clinically significant abnormal EKG, bilirubin \>150% of the upper normal limit, ALT/AST \>300% the UNL, creatinine clearance ≤60 dl/min * meet DSM-5 criteria for a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or other psychoses * medications that reduce alcohol consumption (naltrexone, disulfiram). * use aspirin (salicylates may reduce effect of probenecid), penicillin, methotrexate (may increase concentration). * history of suicide attempts in the last three years. * current diagnosis of a moderate or severe cannabis use disorder as assessed by self-report, SCID-E for SUD, and urine toxicology screen at baseline. * current diagnosis of another substance disorder at any severity, other than nicotine, as assessed by self-report, SCID-E for SUD, and urine toxicology screen at baseline. * current use of medications that may interact with probenecid. * history of hypersensitivity to sulfa drugs.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

alcohol abuse Alcohol Drinking

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Alcohol consumption Alcohol use disorder (AUD) Craving

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

The places running it

1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
The official record

ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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A doctor treating you

A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Old gout drug could help curb alcohol cravings, new trial suggests

What the study statuses mean