Tirzepatide to help reduce drinking in adults with alcohol use disorder who are overweight
Phase II Evaluation of Tirzepatide in Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder and Overweight or Obesity
This trial will test whether weekly tirzepatide injections help adults with alcohol use disorder and overweight or obesity drink less and improve heart and metabolic health compared with placebo.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 2 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 42 (estimated) |
| Ages | 21 Years to 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Southern California Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Los Angeles, California) |
| Trial ID | NCT06994338 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This Phase 2 randomized, placebo-controlled trial gives weekly injections of tirzepatide or matching placebo to treatment-seeking adults with moderate-to-severe alcohol use disorder and a BMI of 27 kg/m2 or higher. Participants must be 21–65 years old, English-speaking, have stable housing, and be willing to attend weekly medication visits and study procedures. Primary outcomes include measures of alcohol consumption over the treatment period and cardiometabolic outcomes such as weight and metabolic markers. Key exclusions include other recent substance use disorders (except tobacco or mild cannabis), recent illicit drug use, and history of significant alcohol withdrawal.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are treatment-seeking adults aged 21–65 who meet DSM-5 criteria for moderate-to-severe alcohol use disorder, consume the specified daily amounts of alcohol, have a BMI ≥27, stable housing, and can attend weekly visits at the study site.
Not a fit: People with recent illicit drug use, another past-year substance use disorder (other than tobacco or mild cannabis), a history of significant alcohol withdrawal, or those outside the age/BMI ranges are unlikely to qualify or benefit from this trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, tirzepatide could help reduce alcohol intake while also improving weight and cardiometabolic measures in people with alcohol use disorder and overweight or obesity.
How similar studies have performed: Prior preclinical and small human studies of GLP-1 receptor agonists have shown reductions in alcohol intake, but tirzepatide is a newer dual GIP/GLP-1 agent and direct evidence in alcohol use disorder is limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Meeting past-year DSM-5 criteria for AUD with at least moderate severity (≥ 4 symptoms) 2. Average daily consumption of ≥40g (women) / ≥ 60 g (men) per day in the 28 days prior to baseline 3. Body mass index ≥ 27kg/m2 4. Willingness to attend weekly medication visits and complete all study procedures 5. Ability to read and communicate in English 6. Age 21-65 7. Treatment-seeking (i.e., currently seeking assistance to reduce or stop drinking) 8. Stable housing status Exclusion Criteria: 1. Meeting past-year DSM-5 criteria for another substance use disorder (except tobacco use disorder or mild cannabis use disorder) 2. Recent (past 30 day) self-report of illicit drug use (excluding cannabis) or non-prescribed opioids; or positive urine screen for illicit drugs. A positive screen for opioids will be allowed if the participant is prescribed an opioid replacement therapy medication and can provide documentation. 3. History of significant alcohol withdrawal, as indicated by history of seizure, delirium tremens; history of hospitalization for withdrawal-related symptoms; a CIWA score \>9 at assessment; or a baseline score 4+ on the Prediction of Alcohol Withdrawal Severity (PAWS) scale. 4. Recent (past 3 months) engagement in behavioral or pharmacological alcohol use treatment or currently mandated to receive treatment 5. History of chronic or acute pancreatitis 6. History of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, or diabetes-related conditions (e.g., diabetic retinopathy), or baseline HbA1C ≥ 6.5% 7. History of suicide attempt or report of current (past 2 weeks) active suicidal ideation 8. Lifetime diagnosis of severe mental illness (e.g., psychosis or bipolar disorder) 9. Evidence of a significant anxiety or depressive disorder that is currently interfering with daily functioning, based on GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores and physician judgement. (Anxiety or depression are not exclusionary if symptoms are stable/non-interfering with daily activities, or if the participant is receiving treatment, i.e., psychiatric medications have not changed for at least 3 months prior to baseline) 10. Treatment for eating disorder in the past 12 months 11. Report of significant medical, neurological, or psychiatric illness that would preclude safe or full study participation based on the judgement of the study physicians 12. History of known liver disease 13. Elevated serum lipase, amylase, bilirubin, or ALP, ALT, or AST (\>3x upper limit of normal range) 14. History of malignant neoplasms in the last 5 years, except for non-melanoma skin cancer 15. Inability to attend weekly clinic visits as scheduled (i.e., based on travel or work schedule) 16. Weight loss \> 5% in the 30 days prior to screening 17. Currently enrolled in another clinical trial involving an investigational product 18. Current contact or co-habitation with a current or former participant in the present trial 19. Current co-habitation with a person taking GLP-1RA therapy 20. Planned surgical procedures requiring anesthesia within 90 days post-entry into the study 21. History of treatment with tirzepatide or a GLP-1RA within 6 months of screening 22. Treatment with any weight loss medications (e.g., orlistat, bupropion-naltrexone) or medications known to reduce alcohol consumption (e.g., naltrexone, topiramate, acamprosate, varenicline) in the past 3 months 23. Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type I or type II 24. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \<60 (indicated impaired kidney function) 25. Use of prescribed or non-prescribed medications that would preclude safe use of tirzepatide in the judgement of the study physicians 26. Known bone, muscle, or wasting conditions (e.g., osteoporosis, sarcopenia) aa. Presence of significant or uncontrolled GI conditions (e.g., GERD) that would interfere with treatment in the judgement of study physicians bb. Any other significant disease, disorder, or finding that in the opinion of the investigator(s) may increase the risk to the volunteer because of participation in the study, affect the ability of the volunteer to participate in the study or impair interpretation of the study data. cc. Currently pregnant or nursing, or inability to adhere to a reliable method of birth control (applies to female participants of childbearing age) dd. Uncontrolled hypertension at baseline, as indicated by an average blood pressure reading of \>180/110 after three successive readings ee. History of heart attack or stroke in the 6 months prior to screening ff. A pre-treatment reduction in alcohol consumption to \< 40g/day (males) or \<20g/day (females) in the interval between baseline screening and randomization
Where this trial is running
Los Angeles, California
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California — Los Angeles, California, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Christian Hendershot, Ph.D.
- Email: christian.hendershot@usc.edu
- Phone: (323) 442-1082
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.