New Study Reveals Genetic Factors Influencing Success in Quitting Smoking - Video

The effectiveness of a common drug to quit smoking could be down to people's genes, according to a study from the University of Leicester (United Kingdom). Varenicline is widely recognised as the most effective medication for helping people stop smoking, but unfortunately it does not work for everyone.

Researchers from Leicester have uncovered important insights into how people’s DNA affects their response to the drug, which will soon be available to smokers. Varenicline works by targeting specific receptors in the brain to block the rewarding effects of smoking and reduce cravings.

An international team of researchers developed a method to use electronic health records to identify people who successfully stopped smoking with varenicline and those who did not.

The study, published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research, uncovered individual genetic variants (small differences in the DNA sequence) linked to stopping smoking using varenicline. The identified genetic variants highlight the involvement of genes in regulating gene activity and in the function of hair-like extensions of cells, called cilia.

Dr Kayesha Coley, the study’s lead researcher, said: “Our study is the first to scan the entire genome to look for genes linked to successfully stopping smoking using varenicline. The genes give us some useful insights into the diverse biological processes at play, but the next step is to confirm our findings with even larger studies.

The research team emphasised the importance of continued studies in this area to further investigate how genetics influences the success of varenicline and further enhance biological understanding.

Ref: Kayesha Coley, Qingning Wang, Richard Packer, Catherine John, Erik Abner, Kadri Reis, Estonian Biobank Research Team, Khaled F Bedair, Sundararajan Srinivasan, Sara Paciga, Craig Hyde, Robert C Free, Nicola F Reeve, David J Shepherd, Tõnu Esko, Colin Palmer, Ewan Pearson, Anders Malarstig, Martin D Tobin, Chiara Batini, Genome-Wide Association Study of Varenicline-Aided Smoking Cessation, Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2025;, ntaf009, https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaf009