Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a prevalent, chronic condition generating considerable global morbidity, mortality and socioeconomic burden. Despite the availability of established pharmacotherapies, overall treatment uptake remains low and effect sizes are moderate at best. Emerging evidence highlights substantial differences in treatment response between sexes and genders, yet these factors are rarely systematically considered in clinical trials or routine care. Existing reviews have limited scope and often exclude gender-diverse populations. This project aims to (1) Synthesise evidence on gender- and sex-specific efficacy, safety and adherence in AUD pharmacotherapies, (2) Evaluate the consideration of sex and gender beyond binary classifications in existing research and (3) Develop recommendations for gender- and sex-sensitive treatment strategies.

A systematic review and meta-analysis will be conducted using (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, German Clinical Trials Register and ClinicalTrials.gov). We will include randomised controlled trials of pharmacotherapies for AUD with a minimum treatment duration of 4 weeks, reporting gender-specific and/or sex-specific results. The literature search will cover studies published up to October 2025, with inclusion restricted to articles published in English or German, regardless of setting. Two reviewers will independently screen records and assess risk of bias (Cochrane RoB), with evidence certainty evaluated using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation and aligned to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 and Sex and Gender Equity in Research guidelines.

Ethics approval is not required as only data from already completed studies and supplementary information directly provided by study authors are used. Findings and recommendations will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences and workshops.

CRD420251079160.

Alcohol dependence (AD) is highly prevalent and has severe consequences on health and quality of life. However, the efficacy of approved pharmacotherapies such as naltrexone (NTX) remains limited, highlighting the need for novel pharmacotherapeutic approaches. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a promising candidate, which has shown potential to reduce craving and alcohol use by modulating brain circuits involved in craving and addiction. Preclinical studies suggest that CBD may enhance NTX’s therapeutic effects.

This is a three-armed, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group, multicentre phase II clinical trial. A total of 150 patients with AD will be randomised (1:1:1) to receive either 800 mg or 1200 mg CBD plus 50 mg oral NTX or placebo plus 50 mg oral NTX for 14 days. Alcohol craving will be assessed using the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS-G) where the primary endpoint is the change from baseline to the end of treatment. Secondary outcomes include craving during the entire study, quality of life, depressive symptoms, anxiety, patient-reported outcomes, neural brain activation, CBD plasma levels, time to relapse, alcohol use and treatment safety. For the comparison of each experimental group to the control group, a strata-adjusted (centre and baseline OCDS-G) van Elteren test is applied with adjustment for multiple testing by Bonferroni-Holm.

The trial has been approved by the Ethics Committee and the competent authority (ID: B_03510). All participants will provide written informed consent. An independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board will monitor safety. This trial complies with national and international regulations.

NCT06845124; EU Trial Number: 2024-518164-12-00.