Tirzepatide for Active Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA)

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 Phase 2 pilot study tests weekly tirzepatide injections over 12 months in adults with active CCCA. Each participant will have scalp exams, photos, and safety assessments, with scalp biopsies at baseline and after 6 months. Results will be compared within each participant from the start of treatment to later timepoints to see if hair regrowth and changes in scar-related gene activity occur. The study does not include a separate control group, so individual change over time will be the main measure. Johns Hopkins University leads the trial with collaboration from its cancer center and Eli Lilly.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 18 to 80 years.
* Clinical and/or biopsy-confirmed diagnosis of central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA).
* Active CCCA, defined as a C-CAT disease activity score greater than 1.
* No treatment for CCCA during the 6 weeks before enrollment.
* Able and willing to complete the study and follow all study procedures.
* Managed by a Johns Hopkins dermatologist throughout the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Currently taking an oral or systemic blood glucose-lowering medication.
* Currently taking another medication for weight loss.
* Hemoglobin A1C below 5.4%.
* Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) score below 2.
* Body mass index below 19 kg/m².
* Pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning a pregnancy.
* Personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer.
* Personal or family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2.
* History of chronic kidney disease.
* History of pancreatitis.
* History of diabetic retinopathy.
* Severe gastrointestinal disease.
* Recent or planned major surgery.
* Type 1 diabetes.
* Any other contraindication to tirzepatide.
* History of keloids or hypertrophic scarring.
* History of poor wound healing.
* History of a blood-clotting disorder.
* Allergy to lidocaine or epinephrine.
* Known sensitivity to local numbing medication.
* Any significant medical condition that the investigator believes would make participation unsafe or prevent completion of the study.

Where it's running

• Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center
  Baltimore, Maryland, United States Recruiting
• Medical Pavilion at Howard County
  Columbia, Maryland, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Crystal U Aguh, M.D. — The Johns Hopkins Department of Dermatology
• Study coordinator: Dakarai A Dunbar, BS
• Email: ddunbar7@jh.edu
• Phone: 4435976380

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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.