title: Emerging drugs for the treatment of cocaine use disorder: a review of neurobiological targets and pharmacotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cocaine use is a global public health concern of significant magnitude, negatively impacting both the individual as well as larger society. Despite numerous trials, the discovery of an effective medication for treatment of cocaine use disorder remains elusive.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article reviews the emerging pharmacotherapies for treatment of cocaine use disorder, focusing on those medications that are currently in Phase II or III human clinical trials. Articles reviewed were obtained through searches of PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Clinicaltrials.gov and the Pharmaprojects database.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Research into cocaine pharmacotherapy must continue to show innovation. Given that medications targeting single neurotransmitter systems have demonstrated little efficacy in treatment of cocaine use disorder, the recent focus on pharmacotherapeutic agents with multiple neurobiochemical targets represents an exciting shift in trial design and approach. Additionally, consideration of pharmacogenetics may be helpful in identification of subpopulations of cocaine-dependent individuals who may preferentially respond to medications.
authors.affiliation: Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Research Service Line , 2002 Holcombe Blvd, Bldg 121, Office 121-137, Houston, TX 77030 , USA +1 713 791 1414 Ext. 24643 ; shorter@bcm.edu.
authors.forename: Daryl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shorter
authors.forename: Coreen B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Domingo
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Kosten
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015195:Drug Design; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D010597:Pharmacogenetics; D012107:Research Design
keywords: Phase II; Phase III; clinical trial; cocaine; pharmacogenetics