Overview

Saxenda: Underlying Mechanisms and Clinical Outcomes

Status:
Active, not recruiting
Trial end date:
2022-12-01
Target enrollment:
0
Participant gender:
All
Summary
The purpose of this protocol is to investigate the effect of treatment with the study drug Liraglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, on centers of the brain that control appetite and food intake.
Phase:
Phase 4
Accepts Healthy Volunteers?
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Treatments:
Liraglutide
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

- Obese: BMI> 30 kg/m2 or >27 kg/m2 with comorbidities (including but not limited to
insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, stroke, sleep
apnea, gallbladder disease, hyperuricemia and gout, and osteoarthritis).

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Women who are breastfeeding, pregnant, or wanting to become pregnant.

2. Women using metal IUD

3. Any change in the dosage of hormonal contraceptive medications (birth control pills,
implanon). Subjects should remain on same medication/ same dose during the time of the
entire study.

4. Moderate (creatinine clearance of 30-59 ml/min) and severe renal impairment
(creatinine clearance below 30 ml/min) and end-stage renal disease

5. Moderate, or severe hepatic impairment

6. Hypersensitivity to the active substance or any of the excipients in liraglutide

7. History of diabetic ketoacidosis

8. Congestive heart failure

9. EKG abnormalities (as listed above)

10. Inflammatory conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, Rheumatoid arthritis etc

11. Gastroparesis

12. Pancreatitis

13. Gallstones- as they may cause increased risk of pancreatitis

14. Alcohol consumption- the maximum quantity for men is 140g-210g per week. For women,
the range is 84g-140g per week or drinking as consuming no more than two drinks a day
for men and one for women. Alcohol can cause increased risk of pancreatitis and
hypoglycemia.

15. Untreated thyroid disease like hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism

16. Subjects taking the following medications: warfarin, steroids (inhaled or systemic due
to reduced hypoglycemic effect), and subjects on other hormones (LHRH analogs etc).

17. Subjects on any oral anti-diabetic agent except metformin

18. Personal or family history of MEN II or medullary thyroid cancer

19. Subjects with any type of bioimplant activated by mechanical, electronic, or magnetic
means (e.g. cochlear implants, pacemakers, neuron or biostimulators, electronic
infusion pumps, etc.)

20. Subjects with any type of metallic implant that could potentially be displaced or
damaged during MRI, such as aneurysm clips, metallic skull plates, surgical implants
etc. or metal containing tattoos

21. Anxiety of small spaces and/or claustrophobia

22. Uncontrolled cardiac impairment, circulatory impairment, or inability to perspire
(poor thermoregulatory function)

23. Significant sensory or motor impairment

24. Epilepsy, particularly photo-sensitive epilepsy, which may place the individual at a
higher risk for adverse events during fMRI scanning with visual stimulation

25. Subjects with neurological or psychological problems which may interfere with or
complicate testing (e.g. presence of titubation)

26. Body weight above the limitation of the MRI scanning table (330lbs/150 Kg) or body
dimensions that could difficult the performance of the scan.

27. Subjects who cannot adhere to the experimental protocol for any reason

28. Anemia with Hgb less than 10

29. Uncontrolled infectious diseases (e.g. HIV, hepatitis, chronic infections etc)

30. Any uncontrolled endocrine condition, e.g Cushing's, Acromegaly, etc

31. Any cancers or lymphoma

32. Eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia

33. Severe hypertriglyceridemia (triglycerides >500 mg/dl)

34. Weight loss surgery or gastrectomy

35. Any changes in medications that affect brain function, e.g. anti-depressants,
anti-psychotics, anti-anxiety, anti-seizure medications, antihypertensives etc
(subjects should remain on same medication/ same dose during the time of the entire
study).

36. Vegetarians- as food images presented will include numerous non-vegetarian items and
thus will not be appealing as high calorie food items.

37. Suicidality, as measured by the MSSI at screening visit.