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OpenTrials
Active, Not Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT06745128

Tirzepatide for Obesity and Meth Use Disorder

This is an open-label pilot study to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of using tirzepatide when prescribed for its United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved weight-related indication in individuals with comorbid methamphetamine use disorder.

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

Key information

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

UT Southwestern Medical Center

Dallas, Texas, 75247, United States

About this study

This study will enroll up to 45 individuals with moderate-to-severe methamphetamine use disorder who meet the FDA-approved weight-related indication for tirzepatide [as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with an initial body mass index (BMI) of: 1) 30 kg/m2 or greater (obesity) or 2) 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea or cardiovascular disease)].

Enrolled participants will receive weekly treatment with tirzepatide for a 32-week period that will be followed by 4-week-long observational follow-up. Participants of this study will be seen for weekly visits where they will complete clinical and/or laboratory assessments.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Be 18 to 65 years of age, inclusive.
  • Be able to provide informed consent and ask relevant questions.
  • Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study.
  • Be willing to adhere to the study medication regimen
  • Meet DSM-5 criteria for moderate or severe methamphetamine use disorder.
  • Self-report methamphetamine use on 18 or more days in the 30-day period prior to written informed consent using the Timeline Followback (TLFB).
  • Have an initial body mass index (BMI) at screening of:
  • 30 kg/m2 or greater (obesity)
  • 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea or cardiovascular disease).
  • If biologically female and is or becomes sexually active with a biological male, must agree to use acceptable methods of contraception and have urine pregnancy testing during participation in the study, unless unable to get pregnant

a. Appropriate birth control methods include: i. Oral contraceptives, contraceptive patch, hormonal vaginal contraceptive ring (with restrictions related to dose change given the medication interactions between tirzepatide and oral contraceptives).

ii. Barrier (diaphragm or condom) iii. Contraceptive implant iv. Medroxyprogesterone acetate injection v. Intra-uterine device vi. Complete abstinence from sexual intercourse vii. Surgical sterilization

  • Agreement to adhere to Lifestyle Considerations (see section 5.3) throughout study duration

Exclusion criteria

  • Current or recent use (within 3 months prior to consent) of other tirzepatide-containing products or any other GLP-1 receptor agonist
  • Current or recent use (within 30 days) of sulfonylureas, other concomitantly administered insulin secretagogue, or insulin
  • Current or recent use (within 3 months prior to consent) of other weight loss agents
  • Weight loss surgery within 12 months prior to consent
  • Current eating disorder per clinician evaluation
  • Personal or family history of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma
  • History of Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2
  • Known serious hypersensitivity (e.g., anaphylaxis, angioedema) to tirzepatide or any of the excipients in tirzepatide
  • History of angioedema or anaphylaxis with a GLP-1 receptor agonist
  • Current Stage 3 or higher Chronic Kidney Disease, defined as eGFR <60 at Screening
  • Current inadequately controlled diabetes, defined as HbA1c > 7.0 at Screening
  • History of diabetic retinopathy
  • Current pregnancy or lactation
  • Treatment with another investigational drug or intervention within the past one month (30 days prior to consent)
  • Have any condition for which study participation would not be in their best interest (e.g., cognitive impairment, unstable general medical condition, intoxication, active psychosis) or that could prevent, limit, or confound the protocol-specified assessments, in the opinion of the investigator or their designee.
  • Require immediate hospitalization for psychiatric disorder or suicidal risk as assessed by a licensed study clinician.

Treatment and study plan

Tirzepatide

Drug

Eligible participants who are enrolled will receive once-weekly subcutaneous injections of tirzepatide for a 32-week period. Following the instructions of the FDA-approved prescribing label, participants or a licensed study clinician will administer the tirzepatide injection subcutaneously in either the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm once weekly for 32 weeks total. Following the instructions of the FDA-approved prescribing label, the dosing schedule will include a 4-week titration at a starting dosage of 2.5mg/week. After four weeks, dosage will be increased in 2.5mg increments. The recommended maintenance dosages per prescribing label are 5mg/week, 10mg/week, or 15mg/week injected subcutaneously. Maximum dosage (up to 15mg/week) will be optimized for each individual. We will use commercially available tirzepatide, primarily dispensed as ZEPBOUND® for this study, but in the event of medication shortage or other pharmacy-related issue, MOUNJARO® may be dispensed as an alternative.

Other names: ZEPBOUND, MOUNJARO

Primary outcomes

  1. Effect of tirzepatide on self-reported use of methamphetamine

    Time frame: 36 weeks

    Self-reported use of methamphetamine will be assessed through Timeline Followback. The Timeline Followback procedure will be used to elicit the participant's self-reported use of illicit substances, including but not limited to stimulants, and polysubstance use starting at the Screening Visit and continuing throughout study participation. During the Screening Visit, this form will be used to assess illicit use of substances for the 30-day period prior to written consent. During the study, TLFB will be administered to document the participant's self-reported use of illicit substances, nicotine, and tobacco for each visit since the previous TLFB assessment. Participant's drug of choice will be asked and determined by study coordinator and recorded along with the TLFB assessment.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Feasibility of using tirzepatide in individuals with Methamphetamine Use Disorder

    Time frame: 4 weeks

    Feasibility will be defined as the number of participants who receive a dose of tirzepatide of at least a 5mg/week for at least four weeks.

  2. Changes in body mass index from baseline to the end of the 32-week treatment phase

    Time frame: 32 weeks

    Body mass index will be calculated using measurements of height and weight.

  3. Changes in self-reported symptoms of anhedonia from baseline to the end of the 32-week treatment phase

    Time frame: 32 weeks

    Anhedonia, the inability to experience pleasure, will be assessed by the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS). The SHAPS questionnaire contains 14 items related to experiencing pleasure over the last several days. Participants are asked to rate their level of agreement or disagreement with each prompt. The scale has a scoring range of 0-14 where a higher point value indicates a higher level of anhedonia.

  4. Changes in High-sensitivity C-reative protein (hs-CRP) levels from baseline to the end of the 32-week treatment phase

    Time frame: 32 weeks

    Clinical laboratory assessments for High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (HsCRP) test will be performed to help determine eligibility at screening and monitor participant's overall health condition.

  5. Changes in gastrointestinal symptom severity from baseline until the end of the 32-week treatment phase

    Time frame: 32 weeks

    Gastrointestinal symptom severity will be assessed by the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS): a disease-specific instrument of 15 items combined into five symptom clusters depicting Reflux, Abdominal pain, Indigestion, Diarrhea and Constipation. The GSRS scale is graded on a seven-point Likert-type scale where a lower score (1) represents less symptom severity and highest score (7) represents greater symptom severity.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Tirzepatide for Individuals With Comorbid Obesity and Methamphetamine Use Disorder

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Dec 20, 2024
Registry last updated
Jun 12, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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