Varenicline with nicotine lozenges and a phone support program to help adults quit smoking
Official title: A Randomized Factorial Trial of Varenicline with Nicotine Lozenges and a Smartphone Medication Adherence Intervention to Promote Smoking Cessation
Funded at University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr · NIH-11248834 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project compares varenicline alone to varenicline plus nicotine lozenges and a smartphone medication-support program to help adults 21 and older stop smoking.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Oklahoma City, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $607,420 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA298165-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11248834 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 21 or older who smoke, want help quitting, are willing to take varenicline, and have access to a smartphone are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who cannot take varenicline, are under age 21, or do not have smartphone access may not be eligible or benefit from this program.
What this research studies
You would be an adult smoker (21+) taking varenicline and may also be randomly assigned to use nicotine lozenges and a smartphone-based medication adherence program. The trial uses a factorial design so participants can receive one, both, or neither of the additional supports. The smartphone program provides reminders and tips to help with taking medication and handling cravings, and researchers will track your smoking status with follow-up visits and biochemical tests. The study aims to see whether adding lozenges and phone support improves quit rates compared with varenicline alone.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help more people quit by reducing cravings and improving use of medication.
How similar studies have gone: Meta-analyses show that varenicline plus the nicotine patch can boost quit rates, but varenicline combined with nicotine lozenges has not been tested in randomized trials and the smartphone adherence approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr
Oklahoma City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kendzor, Darla Elizabeth — University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr
- Study coordinator: Kendzor, Darla Elizabeth
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Combining varenicline and nicotine lozenges with smartphone support to help people quit smoking
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This project uses a smartphone to track sleep and smoking in lower-income adults trying to quit to find how sleep patterns relate to staying smoke-free.
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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.