Phentermine to help teens with obesity

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind study enrolling up to 240 participants and randomizing up to 198 eligible teens to receive phentermine or placebo for 52 weeks, with a 2-week withdrawal assessment afterward. The trial aims to measure weight-related outcomes and safety in adolescents with obesity across roughly 10 sites within the ISPCTN network. Participants must meet obesity criteria and have appropriate Tanner stage, with additional contraception requirements for biological females. Exclusion criteria include cardiovascular disease, glaucoma, recent MAOI use, substance use, and current pregnancy or breastfeeding. The study is led by Dr. Russell McCulloh with collaboration from NIH and the ISPCTN, and sites include Nemours CH, Novak Center, and Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion criteria\* include, but are not limited to:

* Age ≥ 12 years and \< 18 years at time of consent;
* Tanner Staging ≥ 2 at the time of screening;
* Obesity (BMI ≥ 95th age- and sex-specific CDC percentile or BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2);
* Biological females must agree to use adequate contraception, defined as double barrier methods, stable hormonal contraception plus single barrier method, tubal ligation, or abstinence.

Exclusion criteria\* include, but are not limited to:

* Contraindications to phentermine in adults such as:

  * A history of cardiovascular disease (e.g., coronary artery disease, stroke, clinically significant congenital heart disease, clinically significant cardiac arrhythmias, and congestive heart failure);
  * History of glaucoma;
  * Current or recent (within 14 days of screening) use of a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor;
  * Any previous history of drug dependency or current use of an illicit substance (positive urine drug screen);
  * Current pregnancy or breastfeeding;
  * Plans to become pregnant within the study duration;
  * Known hypersensitivity to sympathomimetic amines;
* Current nicotine use or nicotine cessation within 3 months of screening;
* Stage 2 hypertension (or greater) or taking any medication to treat hypertension;
* Current type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus or taking any medication to treat diabetes or prediabetes;
* Current or recent (within 3 months of screening) use of prescribed weight loss medication(s)/medically prescribed diets (e.g., low calorie, meal replacement/herbal agents/dietary supplements or weight loss program);
* Current or recent (within 3 months of screening) use of other sympathomimetic amines such as stimulants to treat attention- deficit/hyperactive disorder;
* Use of chronic systemic glucocorticoid therapy (consecutive use of 3 months or more) or other steroid hormone therapy other than oral contraceptives;
* Use of tricyclic antidepressants, lithium, levodopa, or dopamine receptor agonists;
* History of bariatric surgery;
* History or current diagnosis of schizophrenia, psychosis, bipolar disorder, or mental illness requiring hospitalization within 12 months of screening;
* History of suicide attempt within 2 years or self-harm within 3 months of screening;
* Current Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score of ≥ 10;
* Current suicidal ideation type 4 or 5 on Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS);
* Current Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) score ≥ 20 or any history of anorexia or bulimia.
* Current condition or disease interfering with metabolism, such as untreated hypo- or hyperthyroidism, Cushing's syndrome;
* Current clinically significant hepatic aspartate transaminase (AST) or alanine transaminase (ALT) \> 3x upper limit of age- and sex-specific normal range or renal disease (creatinine clearance \< 60 mL/minute); hypertriglyceridemia (triglyceride ≥ 400 mg/dL) or syndromic or monogenic obesity;
* Any clinically significant abnormalities on a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram at baseline;
* Heart rate \> 100 bpm at screening;
* Current or recent use of any investigational medication or device or participation in an interventional clinical trial within 30 days of screening;
* Any clinically significant medical or psychiatric condition or laboratory abnormality that may increase the risk associated with trial participation, investigational product administration, or interpretation of trial results.

Where it's running

• Nemours Children's Hospital
  Wilmington, Delaware, United States Recruiting
• Novak Center for Children's Health
  Louisville, Kentucky, United States Recruiting
• Pennington Biomedical Research Center
  Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States Recruiting
• Children's Mercy Hospital
  Kansas City, Missouri, United States Recruiting
• Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
  Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States Recruiting
• University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
  Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Aubrey VanStory
• Email: aubrey.vanstory@unmc.edu
• Phone: 402-559-4815

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.