Semaglutide for adults with obesity-related asthma
Official title: Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Treatment in Adult, Obesity-Related, Symptomatic Asthma
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11367033 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial gives adults with obesity-related asthma a daily oral semaglutide pill to test whether it improves asthma control and lowers airway and fat-tissue inflammation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2021 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $686,053 |
| NIH project number | 3U01AI155299-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11367033 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with obesity-related, symptomatic asthma who do not have type 2 diabetes and who can attend study visits are the ideal candidates for this trial.
✕Less likely to help
People with asthma not related to obesity, children, or those with existing type 2 diabetes likely would not be helped by this specific trial.
What this research studies
You would be randomly assigned to take either oral semaglutide 7 mg once daily or a placebo for 12 weeks without knowing which one you get. The trial is double-blind and placebo-controlled and enrolls adults who have symptomatic asthma linked to obesity but do not have type 2 diabetes. Researchers will track your asthma symptoms and control, monitor side effects and tolerability, and collect samples to measure inflammation in the airway and nearby fat tissue. The goal is to generate proof-of-concept data that could support larger phase 3 trials if promising results appear.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve asthma symptoms and reduce airway inflammation for adults with obesity-related asthma, offering a new treatment option beyond standard asthma medicines.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical work and early clinical signals suggest GLP-1 receptor agonists may help obese asthma, but larger, definitive trials are still needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cahill, Katherine N — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Cahill, Katherine N
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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.