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GHADD

UnknownPhase EARLY_1

Gut Hormones in Obesity, Nicotine and Alcohol Dependence

Do Appetitive Gut Hormones Reduce Addictive and Eating Behaviours in Obesity, and Nicotine and Alcohol Dependence?

Asset

Exenatide

Intravenous · GLP-1 agonist

Listed sites

1

Recruiting sites

Enrollment

95

actual

Study population

Alcohol / substance use, Obesity / overweight

Key I/E criteria

BMI 28-50Healthy volunteers

Primary endpoint

Functional MRI measure of brain activation during cigarette, alcohol

Footprint

Where this trial recruits

Site locations as reported to ClinicalTrials.gov. Site count is not enrollment count; per-site enrollment is not available from source.

Identifiers

Registered as

NCT IDNCT02690987
Org study ID15/LO/1041
Secondary IDMR/M007022/1UK Medical Research Council

Timeline

Milestones

Study first posted2016-02-24estimated
Primary completion2019-08-21actual
Last update posted2020-02-13actual
Study start2015-08actual (month precision)
Study completion2020-08estimated (month precision)

Assets

Investigational agents

Study populations

Who this study enrolls

Alcohol / substance useObesity / overweight

Eligibility

Who can enroll

Minimum age18 Years
Maximum age60 Years
SexAll
Healthy volunteersAccepted

Inclusion criteria

1. Male or female volunteers between the ages of 18 and 60 years.

2. Healthy as determined by a responsible physician, based on a medical evaluation including medical history, physical examination, laboratory tests, cardiac monitoring and a psychiatric evaluation. Any volunteer with a clinical abnormality or laboratory parameters outside the reference range for the population being studied may be included, only if the investigators concur that the finding is unlikely to jeopardize either volunteer safety or study integrity.

3. The subject is capable of giving written informed consent, which includes compliance with the requirements and restrictions listed in the consent form.

4. The subject is able to read, comprehend and record information written in English.

5. For non-dependent groups:

i) Overweight/obese volunteers with BMI 28.0-50.0 kg/m2.

6. For addiction groups:

Subjects meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-V criteria for previous nicotine or alcohol dependence, but who are in early stable abstinence (>6 weeks). Minor lapses within this time period will be allowed but not relapses into dependence.

ii) Abstinent alcohol dependent individuals who score at least moderately alcohol dependent as measured retrospectively using the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ), and who have been abstinent for >6 weeks.

iii) Abstinent tobacco dependent individuals who score at least moderately on tobacco dependence as measured retrospectively using the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), and who have been in stable tobacco abstinence for >6 weeks.

Exclusion criteria

Potential volunteers will NOT be eligible for inclusion in this study if any of the following criteria apply:

1. Previous history of recreational use or abuse of other substances of addiction will be permissible, but there should be no use of any illegal drugs (except cannabis) in the month prior to the Screening Visit or during the course of the study, except where specified for individual groups below.

2. For individual groups:

i) Overweight/obese group: history of or current alcohol abuse or dependence; nicotine use other than "never smoked", i.e. >100 cigarettes lifetime use; history of dependence, abuse or heavy recreational use of cocaine, cannabis, opiates or other substance of abuse; history of problem gambling. Any previous or current psychiatric diagnosis listed in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-V Axis I, which in the opinion of the clinical team will compromise conduct and interpretability of the study.

ii) Abstinent tobacco dependent group: history of or current alcohol abuse or dependence; current dependence for cocaine, cannabis, opiates or other substance of abuse, or problem gambling (previous history will be allowed); taking varenicline, bupropion or other prescription medications for smoking cessation. Any previous or current psychiatric diagnosis listed in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-V Axis I, which in the opinion of the clinical team will compromise conduct and interpretability of the study.

iii) Abstinent alcohol dependent group: current dependence for cocaine, cannabis, opiates or other substance of abuse, or problem gambling (previous history will be allowed); taking prescription medication for alcohol or smoking cessation or withdrawal; smoking is allowed past or present including dependence; current nicotine replacement therapy is allowed.

3. Currently suffering from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-V depressive disorder or on anti-depressant medication, though a history of depression or anxiety will be allowed. A current or past history of enduring severe mental illness (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder) will not be allowed.

For all groups:

4. Cannabis use up to five times in the month prior to the Screening Visit will be allowed, but no use within one week of experimental assessments; no use of any other illegal drugs in the month prior to the Screening Visit or during the course of the study.

5. Intoxication at any of the visits, as manifested by difficulty in walking, slurring of speech, difficulty concentrating or drowsiness (or by the subject volunteering this information directly to the research team).

6. Positive drug/alcohol screens on testing at the screening visit, other than that explicable by other causes (e.g. recent use of opiate containing analgesic etc), at the discretion of the research team.

7. Carbon monoxide levels of =/>10ppm in the overweight/obese and abstinent smoker groups at screening visit.

8. Use of current regular prescriptions (including smoking or alcohol cessation medicines such as Disulfiram, Acamprosate, Naltrexone, Bupropion; weight loss medication including Orlistat, Metformin, GLP-1 agonists, Bupropion, Naltrexone), or over-the-counter medications that in the opinion of the Investigators may affect subject safety or outcome measures.

9. Pulse rate <40 or >100 beats per minute OR systolic blood pressure >160 and <100 and a diastolic blood pressure >95 and <50 in the semi-supine position.

10. Claustrophobia or feels that they will be unable to lay still on their back in the MRI scanner for a period of ~80 minutes.

11. Presence of a cardiac pacemaker or other electronic device or ferromagnetic metal foreign bodies as assessed by a standard pre-MRI questionnaire and radiographer.

12. History or presence of a neurological diagnosis (not limited to but including, for example, stroke, epilepsy, space occupying lesions, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, vascular dementia, transient ischemic attack, that may influence the outcome or analysis of the scan results). A history of alcohol-related or alcohol-withdrawal seizures will be allowed for volunteers in the abstinent alcoholic group.

13. Significant current or past medical or psychiatric history that, in the opinion of the investigators, contraindicates their participation.

14. Clinically significant head injury (e.g. requiring hospitalisation or surgical intervention) that in the opinion of the investigators may affect subject safety or outcome measures.

15. Unwillingness or inability to follow the procedures outlined in the protocol.

16. Any of the following liver function tests (LFT) abnormalities at screening: Alkaline Phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or gammaGT > 4 x upper limit of normal (ULN), International Normalised ratio (INR) > 1.5, Albumin <25 g/L, raised bilirubin (other than just isolated i.e. without other liver function tests abnormalities).

17. History of decompensated alcoholic liver disease - i.e. history of variceal bleeding, ascites, jaundice, encephalopathy.

18. History of pancreatitis from any cause.

19. History of type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus.

20. ECG abnormality, which in the opinion of the study physician, is clinically significant and represents a safety risk.

21. The volunteer has participated in a clinical trial and has received an investigational product within the following time period prior to the first experimental visit in the current study: 90 days, 5 half-lives or twice the duration of the biological effect of the investigational product (whichever is longer).

22. Exposure to more than 3 new investigational medicinal products within 12 months prior to the scan.

23. History of sensitivity to any of the peptides, or components thereof, or a history of drug or other allergy that, in the opinion of the investigators, contraindicates their participation.

24. Diagnosis of endocrine disorder, including uncontrolled hypothyroidism (stable treated hypothyroidism with currently normal thyroid function tests is allowed), history of hyperthyroidism or Cushing's syndrome, which, in the opinion of the investigators, may affect subject safety or outcome measures.

25. History of ischaemic heart disease, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia or peripheral vascular or cerebrovascular disease.

26. History or presence of significant respiratory, gastrointestinal, hepatic, oncological or renal disease or other condition that in the opinion of the Investigators may affect subject safety or outcome measures.

27. Previous bariatric surgery for obesity including Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy.

28. Current pregnancy or breast-feeding in female volunteers.

29. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten or lactose-intolerant.

30. Volunteers who have donated, or intend to donate, blood within three months before the screening visit or following study visit completion.

Endpoints (49)

What's being measured

Protocol endpoints and posted registry outcome measures, grouped into outcome categories. Composite endpoints show their component event types. Standard codes (LOINC, SNOMED CT) are shown where available.

Coverage by outcome category

Other clinical outcomes
24
Patient-reported / QoL
10
Other (unclassified)
8
Safety / tolerability / PK
3
Glycemic / diabetes
2
Cardiometabolic biomarkers
2

Glycemic / diabetes

2 endpoints
Other/protocol endpoint

Plasma glucose concentration

Time frame:4 years

descriptive, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Serum insulin concentration

Time frame:4 years

concentration, descriptive

Cardiometabolic biomarkers

2 endpoints
Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Plasma desacyl ghrelin concentration

Time frame:4 years

concentration, descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint

Plasma acyl ghrelin concentration

Time frame:4 years

concentration, descriptive

Patient-reported / QoL

10 endpoints
Other/protocol endpoint

Hunger visual analogue scale rating

Time frame:4 years

descriptive, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Alcohol Urge Questionnaire

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint

Food craving visual analogue scale rating

Time frame:4 years

change from baseline, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Fullness visual analogue scale rating

Time frame:4 years

change from baseline, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Sweet taste intensity visual analogue scale rating

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint

Fat taste intensity visual analogue scale rating

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint

Fat taste just right visual analogue scale rating

Time frame:4 years

change from baseline, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Sweet taste just right visual analogue scale rating

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint

Fat taste pleasant visual analogue scale rating

Time frame:4 years

change from baseline, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Sweet taste pleasant visual analogue scale rating

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Safety / tolerability / PK

3 endpoints
Other/protocol endpoint

Plasma GLP1 concentration

Time frame:4 years

Plasma concentration (steady state)

concentration, descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint

Plasma exenatide concentration

Time frame:4 years

Plasma concentration (steady state)

concentration, descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint

Nausea visual analogue scale rating

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other clinical outcomes

24 endpoints
Secondary/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Functional MRI measure of brain activation during anticipation of winning monetary reward (monetary incentive delay task)

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Secondary/protocol endpoint

Functional MRI measure of brain activation during negative emotional reactivity task

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Secondary/protocol endpoint

Functional MRI measure of brain activity in salience resting state network

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Secondary/protocol endpoint

Functional MRI measure of brain activity in limbic resting state network

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Secondary/protocol endpoint

Functional MRI measure of brain activity in default mode resting state network

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint

Questionnaire of Smoking Urges

Time frame:4 years

descriptive, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Progressive ratio task breakpoint

Time frame:4 years

change from baseline, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Ratio of speed of approach to avoidance for food vs. object pictures

Time frame:4 years

ratio, descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Ratio of speed of approach to avoidance for alcohol vs. object pictures

Time frame:4 years

ratio, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Ratio of speed of approach to avoidance for cigarette vs. object pictures

Time frame:4 years

ratio, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Food picture appeal rating

Time frame:4 years

change from baseline, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Alcohol picture appeal rating

Time frame:4 years

change from baseline, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Cigarette picture appeal rating

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Sweet taste liking visual analogue scale rating

Time frame:4 years

change from baseline, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Fat taste liking visual analogue scale rating

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Paired associates learning task number of trials required to locate patterns correctly

Time frame:4 years

change from baseline, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint

Paired associates learning task memory score

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint

Paired associates learning task number of stages completed

Time frame:4 years

change from baseline, improvement

Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Cambridge gambling task risk taking measure

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Cambridge gambling task quality of decision taking measure

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint

Smoking relapse rate at 6 months after completion of the study in ex-smokers

Time frame:4 years

threshold achievement, event

Other/protocol endpoint

Smoking relapse rate at 12 months after completion of the study in ex-smokers

Time frame:4 years

threshold achievement, event

Other/protocol endpoint

Alcohol relapse rate at 6 months after completion of the study in ex-drinkers

Time frame:4 years

event count, event

Other/protocol endpoint

Alcohol relapse rate at 12 months after completion of the study in ex-drinkers

Time frame:4 years

event count, event

Other (unclassified)

8 endpoints
Primary/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Functional MRI measure of brain activation during cigarette, alcohol and food picture evaluation task

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Percentage of unsuccessful stop trials

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Energy intake at test meal in kilocalories

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Energy intake of sugar at test meal as percentage of total

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Energy intake of fat at test meal as percentage of total

Time frame:4 years

descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Serum cortisol concentration

Time frame:4 years

concentration, descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Serum growth hormone concentration

Time frame:4 years

concentration, descriptive

Other/protocol endpoint/low confidence

Plasma peptide YY concentration

Time frame:4 years

concentration, descriptive

Publications (9)

Bibliography

Records linked to this trial through ClinicalTrials.gov references, PubMed NCT search, and curated study seeds. 'Canonical' marks design/result papers; others are registry references or candidates.

Registry references + supporting bibliography

Provenance

Sources

Trial identity, design, statusClinicalTrials.gov API v2
Snapshot dateJuly 1, 2026
Endpoint classificationDelfa endpoint taxonomy v2 (May 13, 2026)
Results tableno registry results posted yet

Trial facts come from public ClinicalTrials.gov records. Endpoint categories are Delfa's classification of those records, not a ClinicalTrials.gov field. All figures reflect the July 1, 2026 snapshot.