Eli Lilly will launch studies to investigate whether its weight loss medications can help control addictive behaviors such as smoking and alcohol and drug abuse, CEO Dave Ricks revealed in a Dec. 10 interview, Bloomberg reported.

Speaking at a meeting of the Economic Club in Washington, D.C., Mr. Ricks described the drugs as "anti-hedonics," potentially offering patients relief from dependence by reducing cravings.

The company plans to begin large-scale clinical trials next year focusing on alcohol and nicotine use and potentially drug abuse as part of an effort to explore broader therapeutic applications of its weight loss treatments.

Rival drugmaker Novo Nordisk has also expressed interest in studying its weight loss medications' impact on alcohol consumption, saying earlier this year that it was planning a study.