GLPwatch

To Predict Weight Loss Response to Liraglutide (Saxenda®), From fMRI-based Determination of Food Cue Reactivity

NCT03795701 · Completed

Last updated 2026-05-28

This clinical trial tests whether brain scans can predict how well adults with obesity will respond to the weight-loss medication liraglutide (Saxenda®) compared to a placebo.

Status Completed The study has finished.
Phase Not applicable Not a phased drug trial (e.g. a device or behavioral study).
Type Interventional (clinical trial)
Design Randomized, quadruple-blind treatment study
Participants 73 people
Who can join Ages 18–60 · all sexes Healthy volunteers accepted.
Timeline Started 2019-01 · est. completion 2022-05
Where 2 sites · United States

What this study is testing ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03795701 ↗

Description as written by the study sponsor.

The study is a single center, randomized, double blind, placebo controlled; parallel-group repeated measures design. Subjects will be randomly assigned to either Saxenda® or placebo group after baseline assessments. The study will consist of a 4-week partial dose period (Liraglutide 0.6mg, 1.2mg, 1.8mg, 2.4 mg) and a 12-week full-dose (Liraglutide 3.0 mg) period. The placebo group will administer equivalent volumes of the pre-filled solutions from pen-injector at the same time, using the same method during this period. The study proposes to identify factors contributing to early weight loss response in a Saxenda® treatment program. Specifically, the proposed experiments will help determine if Saxenda® changes brain functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Food Cue Reactivity (fMRI-FCR) and whether the magnitude of that change is associated with changes in behavioral and physiological variables (hunger, satiety, cravings and weight loss).

Treatments tested

Main thing measuredCompare the changes of pre-prandial fMRI-FCR in Liraglutide 3.0 vs. Placebo Group
SponsorTexas Tech University
Conditions studiedObesity
GLP-1 drugs liraglutide

Full protocol, eligibility, and contacts on ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03795701 ↗