Metformin for asthma in overweight and obese adults
Official title: Metformin IN Asthma for overweight and obese individuals (MINA)
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11195075 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether metformin can help improve asthma control in overweight and obese adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $242,221 |
| NIH project number | 5R34HL166438-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11195075 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 21 and older who are overweight or obese with physician-diagnosed asthma and who can take metformin and participate in remote visits are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without asthma, those who are not overweight or obese, or individuals who cannot take metformin due to medical contraindications (for example severe kidney disease or pregnancy) are unlikely to benefit from this trial.
What this research studies
You would be randomly assigned to take either metformin or a placebo for six months while researchers track your asthma and metabolic signs. The trial is run at Johns Hopkins and Baylor and uses remote methods so many visits and monitoring can be done from home. The main goals are to see if the remote trial approach is practical and to collect early evidence on whether metformin reduces asthma symptoms and exacerbations in people with higher body weight. Study data will include measures of breathing, asthma attacks, and markers of metabolic inflammation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, metformin could offer a low-cost treatment option that reduces asthma attacks and improves control for overweight and obese adults with asthma.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies and observational human data suggest metformin may reduce airway inflammation and exacerbations, but randomized clinical trials in people with obesity-related asthma are limited, making this pilot relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mccormack, Meredith C — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Mccormack, Meredith C
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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.