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Trial · Interventional

CompletedPhase 2Results postedRegistry data

Effects of Semaglutide on Nicotine Intake

NCTNCT05530577 (opens ClinicalTrials.gov in a new tab)Other id21-1548Other idR21DA047663-02

Overview

Status
Completed
Phase
Phase 2
Enrollment
24 participants (actual)
Sponsor
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · Other
Design
Randomized · Triple masking
Countries
1 country

United States

Start
7 Oct 2022
Primary completion
13 May 2024
Completion
13 May 2024
First posted
7 Sept 2022
Last update posted
22 Aug 2025
Conditions
Tobacco Use Disorder · Nicotine Addiction

Timeline

1 trial · 1 completed · 1 with posted results

  • Completed
  • Ongoing
  • Not yet recruiting
  • Stopped
  • Estimated dates (est.)
  • Results posted
2022202320242025
  1. Ph 2

    Effects of Semaglutide on Nicotine Intake

    NCT05530577

    7 Oct 2022 to 13 May 2024

Registry summary

Text and fields below are the sponsor's entries at ClinicalTrials.gov, shown as posted.

Tobacco use remains the foremost cause of preventable deaths in the U.S. and worldwide. Advancing new smoking cessation therapies, including those targeting novel biological mechanisms, is a critical public health priority. Accumulating evidence from preclinical studies suggests that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists reduce intake and/or reinstatement of addictive drugs, including nicotine. However, translational work is necessary to establish whether GLP-1 receptor agonists alter aspects of nicotine response and smoking behavior in smokers. Human laboratory studies play a pivotal role in drug development by providing a time- and cost-efficient means of validating preclinical findings, also providing an ideal platform for studying mechanisms of medication effects. This is an experimental investigation to examine the effects of an approved GLP-1 receptor agonist on nicotine intake and reinstatement. Dependent smokers will be enrolled in a double-blind, parallel-arm trial with laboratory endpoints. Laboratory procedures will include a validated procedure for measuring smoking lapse/reinstatement after overnight abstinence. This study will provide initial laboratory evidence for the potential efficacy of GLP-1 receptor agonists as adjunctive treatments for smoking cessation.

Interventions

  • SemaglutideDrug
  • Sham/placeboDrug

Arms2

  • Experimental

    Semaglutide

    Participants will receive semaglutide via subcutaneous injections at escalating doses (0.25mg to 1.0mg) over 9 weeks.

  • Sham comparator

    Sham/Placebo

    Participants will receive sham subcutaneous injections over 9 weeks.

Primary outcomes2

Outcomes the sponsor listed as primary.

  1. Change in Nicotine Self-Administration

    Time frame · Baseline (Week 0) to post-medication (Week 8)

    Registry description

    Number of cigarettes smoked during a laboratory smoking procedure

  2. Change in Nicotine Reinstatement Duration

    Time frame · Baseline (Week 0) to post-medication (Week 8)

    Registry description

    Duration (minutes) of resistance to smoking reinstatement during a laboratory lapse task

Secondary outcomes(1)
  1. Change in Daily Cigarette Smoking

    Time frame · Baseline (Week 0) to study endpoint (Week 10)

    Registry description

    Number of cigarettes consumed per day during medication exposure

Posted results

Values are shown as posted at ClinicalTrials.gov, with their units. PepBank has not converted, pooled or compared them.

Primary outcome results

Primary outcomeMean· Baseline (Week 0) to post-medication (Week 8)

Change in Nicotine Self-Administration

GroupValue (Number of cigarettes)Spread
Semaglutide-0.80.63
Sham/Placebo-0.50.69
Primary outcomeMean· Baseline (Week 0) to post-medication (Week 8)

Change in Nicotine Reinstatement Duration

GroupValue (Minutes)Spread
Semaglutide10.327.6
Sham/Placebo-2.220.1
Secondary and other outcome results(5)
Secondary outcomeMean· Baseline (Week 0) to study endpoint (Week 10)

Change in Daily Cigarette Smoking

GroupValue (Number of cigarettes per day)Spread
Semaglutide-3.355.25
Sham/Placebo-2.274.15
Other pre specified outcome· baseline (Week 0) to post-medication (Week 8)

Change in Cigarette Craving

GroupValue
Other pre specified outcome· baseline (Week 0) to post-medication (Week 8)

Change in Subjective Responses to Cigarette Smoking

GroupValue
Other pre specified outcome· baseline (Week 0) to study endpoint (Week 10)

Change in Body Weight

GroupValue
Other pre specified outcome· baseline (Week 0) to study endpoint (Week 10)

Change in HbA1c

GroupValue

Adverse events, as posted

Adverse events as posted: participants affected out of participants at risk, by group
GroupDeathsSerious eventsOther events
SemaglutideParticipants will receive semaglutide via subcutaneous injections at escalating doses (0.25mg to 1.0mg) over 9 weeks. Semaglutide: Semaglutide (subcutaneous)0 / 120 / 1210 / 12
Sham/PlaceboParticipants will receive sham subcutaneous injections over 9 weeks. Sham/placebo: Sham subcutaneous injection0 / 120 / 128 / 12

Each cell reads participants affected / participants at risk, as the registry posted them.

Registry data comes from ClinicalTrials.gov. Study results come from studies, not from the registry. How PepBank works

Studies1

Studies that cite this trial.

Studies with results

1 study on this page

Indexing hint: Randomized controlled trial · 2026

7 results

Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults With Daily Cigarette Use: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Hendershot et al. 2026JAMA network opencited by 3

PMID 42189538PMC13213524DOI 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.14898PUB-42189538

Free to read · publisher termsCC BY-NC-ND7 results

Eligibility

Who could join, as posted.

Sex
All
Age
from 21 Years up to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Inclusion and exclusion criteria, as posted
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 21-65 * Smoking 5+ cigarettes per day (on average) over the past year, with no period of abstinence \> 90 days * Biochemical verification of smoking status, based on expired CO \> 8 at baseline * Willingness to take study medication and complete study procedures * Willingness to complete lab sessions involving cigarette smoking * Ability to communicate in English Exclusion Criteria: * Regular use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS/vaping), cigars, chewing tobacco or snuff, based on at least weekly use in the past 30 days * Past 30-day use of nicotine replacement therapies/products * Reporting past 30-day use of illicit drugs other than cannabis at baseline, or having a positive toxicology screen for illicit drugs other than cannabis at baseline * Current engagement in alcohol or smoking cessation treatments, or currently engaged in intentional efforts to quit cigarette use * Past 30-day use of: Sincalide, Sulfonylureas, insulin and insulin products or other medications that may interact with semaglutide, or weight control medications * Prior use of semaglutide or other GLP-1 agonists * Known or suspected hypersensitivity to study medication or related products * Lifetime diagnosis of severe mental illness (including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) * Meeting criteria for current alcohol use disorder (AUD) or other substance use disorder (with the exception of tobacco or mild cannabis use disorder) * History of suicide attempt, or recent (past 30 day) suicidal ideation, or psychiatric hospitalization in the last 6 months * Current significant medical or neurological illness (based on self-report or medical record) including severe hepatic impairment or cirrhosis, impaired renal function (eGFR \<50ml/min), acute or chronic pancreatitis, gastroparesis, gallbladder disease or cholelithiasis, other severe gastrointestinal disease, heart failure, coronary artery disease, stroke, seizure disorder, or other medical condition that poses a risk for the medication or alcohol administration components of the study (as determined by the MD) * A personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia 2A or 2B * Calcitonin greater than or equal to 50 ng/L * Uncontrolled thyroid disease at screening * History of major surgical procedures involving the stomach potentially affecting absorption of trial product (e.g., subtotal and total gastrectomy, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass surgery) * History of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, or HbA1c \>6.5% measured at screening * History of diabetic retinopathy, proliferative retinopathy, or maculopathy * History of diabetic ketoacidosis * History or presence of malignant neoplasms within the last 5 years (except basal and squamous cell skin cancer and carcinoma in situ) * Currently nursing, pregnant, anticipating pregnancy in the next 6 months, or not using a highly effective contraceptive method as judged by the MD, and defined as: 1. combined (estrogen and progestogen containing) hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation (oral, intravaginal, transdermal) 2. progestogen-only hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation (oral, injectable, implantable) 3. intrauterine device 4. intrauterine hormone-releasing system 5. bilateral tubal occlusion 6. vasectomized partner 7. sexual abstinence * Elevation of serum lipase, amylase, direct (conjugated) bilirubin, or alkaline phosphatase (ALP), ALT, or AST) more than 3X the upper limit of normal on baseline bloodwork * Baseline body mass index (BMI) \<23kg/m\^2 * Uncontrolled hypertension or systolic BP \>180 mmHg and/or diastolic BP \>105 mmHg, averaged from three measurements * Plans for travel outside of the local area in the upcoming 12 weeks that would interfere with lab visits during the study period (or other logistic factors that would make it difficult to commit to entire duration of study)

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