2024 Tirzepatide-Bariatric Surgery

Preoperative Tirzepatide for Bariatric Surgery

2024 Tirzepatide-Bariatric Surgery (NCT06721507) is a Phase 4 interventional studying Obesity and Obesity-related Medical Conditions and Bariatric Surgery, sponsored by Marlene Starr. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

About This Trial

This clinical trial will test whether preoperative tirzepatide treatment improves outcomes after bariatric surgery. The outcome of this study could impact therapeutic guidelines for the multimodal treatment of obesity. The major objectives are: 1. To evaluate whether pre-operative tirzepatide treatment reduces tissue and circulating inflammatory markers at the time of surgery. 2. To establish the relationship of these changes with postoperative improvements in weight loss, metabolic and inflammatory profiles, comorbidity resolution (glycemic control, blood pressure, lipid profile), and 30-day surgical complications. Researchers will compare data from patients taking tirzepatide to data from patients not taking tirzepatide before their planned bariatric surgery to see if tirzepatide reduces inflammation and improves health outcomes after bariatric surgery. Participants will: Take or not take tirzepatide, depending on what study group they are in, once a week for 3 months. Visit the endocrine clinic once a month for 3 months to be prescribed the drug and for checkups regarding side effects due to the drug. Keep a diary to document taking the drug and any side effects. Continue with their planned bariatric surgery and post-surgery follow-ups according to their healthcare provider.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 4 studies happen after a treatment has been approved by the FDA. They monitor long-term safety, real-world effectiveness, and any rare side effects that only emerge in larger populations over longer periods. Phase 4 results sometimes lead to label changes, additional warnings, or — rarely — withdrawal of approval.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

Target enrollment of 50 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Obesity and Obesity-related Medical Conditions subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: - adults who have been enrolled in the multidisciplinary metabolic and bariatric surgery program at the UK HealthCare Weight Loss Surgery Clinic and are scheduled to receive laparoscopic or robotic sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric bypass surgery - BMI greater than or equal to 40 kg/m2 with one or more obesity-related comorbidities - have demonstrated abstinence from any form of nicotine use, confirmed by serum nicotine and metabolite testing - enrollment in the ADORE Bariatric Tissue Bank (IRB #69767) Who Should NOT Join This Trial: - any contraindication to the use of tirzepatide (per package insert) - Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma - Patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasm syndrome type 2 - Hypersensitivity to tirzepatide - History of pancreatitis - Type 1 Diabetes - patients with active, untreated or symptomatic cholelithiasis or jaundice - consistent use of a GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist, over the past 90 days - diagnosed autoimmune conditions (where your immune system attacks your own body) - current use of immunosuppressive agents or use within the past 30 days - moderate or severe substance use disorder according to DSM-5 criteria - uncontrolled significant psychiatric disorder as assessed by specialized bariatric psychologist - female participant who is pregnant, breast-feeding, or intends to become pregnant with in 1 year following surgery - a prisoner Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language

Inclusion Criteria: * adults who have been enrolled in the multidisciplinary metabolic and bariatric surgery program at the UK HealthCare Weight Loss Surgery Clinic and are scheduled to receive laparoscopic or robotic sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric bypass surgery * BMI greater than or equal to 40 kg/m2 with one or more obesity-related comorbidities * have demonstrated abstinence from any form of nicotine use, confirmed by serum nicotine and metabolite testing * enrollment in the ADORE Bariatric Tissue Bank (IRB #69767) Exclusion Criteria: * any contraindication to the use of tirzepatide (per package insert) * Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma * Patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasm syndrome type 2 * Hypersensitivity to tirzepatide * History of pancreatitis * Type 1 Diabetes * patients with active, untreated or symptomatic cholelithiasis or jaundice * consistent use of a GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist, over the past 90 days * diagnosed autoimmune disease * current use of immunosuppressive agents or use within the past 30 days * moderate or severe substance use disorder according to DSM-5 criteria * uncontrolled significant psychiatric disorder as assessed by specialized bariatric psychologist * female participant who is pregnant, breast-feeding, or intends to become pregnant with in 1 year following surgery * a prisoner

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

tirzepatide

Participants will be educated on dietary and lifestyle changes. Participants will self inject 2.5 mg tirzepatide subcutaneously once weekly and maintain a drug administration diary. Dose escalation will proceed per package directions if instructed by study team at follow up visits.

BEHAVIORAL

Standard of Care

Participants will be educated on dietary and lifestyle changes

Locations (1)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

University of Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06721507), the sponsor (Marlene Starr), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT06721507 clinical trial studying?

Who can participate in NCT06721507?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT06721507?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

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Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT06721507. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06721507. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-06-26 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.