Adolescent HIV Care: Weight Loss Pill + Digital Counseling Trial
Official title: Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions (ATN) Scientific Leadership Center
Funded at Florida State University · NIH-11530515 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A youth-focused trial tests whether adding a weekly semaglutide weight-loss medicine to tailored digital lifestyle coaching helps overweight teens and young adults living with HIV improve weight and heart health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Florida State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tallahassee, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2026 |
| Project end | January 14, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $2,216,988 |
| NIH project number | 3UM2HD111102-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11530515 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adolescents and young adults (13–24) with HIV who are overweight or obese and have cardiometabolic risk factors, and who are virally suppressed.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without obesity or cardiometabolic risk factors or those not interested in injectable therapy may not benefit.
What this research studies
This study will enroll 138 participants aged 13–24 who are living with HIV and have overweight or obesity with cardiometabolic risk factors. After a two-week run-in period with digitally enhanced lifestyle counseling, participants will be randomly assigned to receive either semaglutide weekly plus continuing digital coaching or digital coaching alone for 32 weeks. Researchers will measure changes in body mass index, cardiovascular risk markers, and mental health—along with other factors such as substance use. The trial blends a real-world injectable therapy with youth-centered digital support to determine if the combination offers added benefit beyond lifestyle guidance alone.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, participants could achieve greater weight loss and better heart-health markers through a combination therapy.
How similar studies have gone: GLP-1 receptor agonists have shown weight loss benefits in adults and adolescents, but data in youth with HIV are limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Florida State University
Tallahassee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B — Florida State University
- Study coordinator: Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.