GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide have changed obesity treatment more than any drug in decades, with many patients losing 15 to 22 percent of their body weight. Research is now expanding to next-generation drugs like retatrutide (a triple-hormone agonist showing ~24% weight loss in Phase 2), oral GLP-1s, and longer-acting injections, while studying who benefits most and how to keep weight off long term.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing newer hormone-based medications that target multiple pathways at once, weekly and monthly injections, and pills that may rival injections. Studies are also evaluating bariatric surgery alternatives, behavioral programs combined with medication, and how these treatments affect heart disease, kidney disease, sleep apnea, and diabetes risk.
New medications
Drugs that mimic gut hormones (GLP-1, GIP, glucagon) are producing weight loss that used to require surgery. Newer triple-action drugs and oral versions are in late-stage testing.
Beyond weight loss
Studies show these medications also reduce heart attacks, kidney decline, and sleep apnea. Trials are mapping which conditions improve most and at what dose.
Long-term strategies
Most patients regain weight if they stop the medication. Research is testing maintenance doses, pairing drugs with behavior programs, and what to do when weight loss plateaus.
What to know before you search
Eligibility usually depends on body mass index (BMI), related conditions like type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea, and prior treatments tried.
What types of trials are currently open
- New medication trials — Testing weight-loss drugs, often newer hormone-based injections or pills, to see how much weight people lose and what side effects occur.
- Surgical trials — Studies comparing different bariatric surgeries or testing newer endoscopic procedures.
- Lifestyle and behavior trials — Testing structured eating, activity, or coaching programs, sometimes combined with medication.
- Device trials — Testing implants, balloons, or stimulators designed to support weight loss without major surgery.
- Prevention trials — Testing strategies in people at high risk of weight gain, including after pregnancy or starting certain medications.
Recently added Obesity trials
SucroMet Nutritional Intervention Trial
SucroMet is designed to evaluate how adding two commonly used sweeteners-sucrose (table sugar) and sucralose (a low-calorie sweetener)-at low and high doses may influence glucose regulation, including insulin resistance and fasting plasma glucose, in adults aged 18 to 65 years with normal weight, overweight, or obesity. The low-dose intervention consists of 5% of the Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) from sucrose or 5 sucralose tablets per day (approximately 33.35 mg/day of sucralose). The high-dose intervention consists of 10% of EER from sucrose or 10 sucralose tablets per day (approximately 66.7 mg/day of sucralose). These doses maintain the planned 1:2 exposure ratio between the low- and high-dose intervention groups. Before the intervention begins, participants' habitual dietary intake is assessed and, when necessary, minor dietary adjustments are made to support a stable overall eating pattern while maintaining energy intake. Participants then complete a four-week run-in period during which these recommendations are followed, and dietary records are used to verify dietary stability before the intervention starts. Participants will consume the assigned sweetener incorporated into foods or beverages that they already consume as part of their habitual diet, without substantial changes to their usual eating patterns. The intervention includes two consecutive 12-week phases, one involving solid food intake and the other involving liquid intake, separated by a two-week washout period. This design allows evaluation of the effects of sweetener type, dose, and mode of consumption. The primary outcomes are changes in glucose regulation, including fasting plasma glucose and insulin resistance assessed by HOMA-IR. Secondary outcomes include changes in body composition, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, routine biochemical parameters, gut microbiota composition, DNA methylation patterns in peripheral blood cells, and biomarkers related to inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolomic profiles measured in blood and urine. Participants will attend scheduled study visits for anthropometric assessments, dietary evaluations, and biological sample collection. Blood, urine, and stool samples will be obtained at baseline and after each intervention phase. The study aims to address the following questions: 1. Do metabolic responses to sucrose and sucralose, including changes in insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and fasting plasma glucose, differ according to participants' body mass index (BMI)? 2. Do low and high doses of sucrose and sucralose differentially affect glucose regulation, body composition, and metabolic health? 3. Does the mode of intake (solid versus liquid) influence changes in gut microbiota composition? 4. Are changes in DNA methylation patterns in peripheral blood cells associated with the consumption of sucrose and sucralose at different doses and in different forms? 5. Do different doses of sucrose and sucralose influence biomarkers related to inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolomic profiles?
Inflammatory Cytokines and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Diabetic Chronic Kidney Disease Patients
This research intends to analyze how a 12-week adjustment in lifestyle influences inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress indicators in overweight individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and moderate CKD
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