Recruiting
Phase 2

Semaglutide

Sponsor:

The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Code:

NCT07325500

Conditions

Weight Gain

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Dose escalation to 2 mg semaglutide weekly then semaglutide microdosing at 0.5 mg weekly

Dose escalation to 2 mg semaglutide weekly then no semaglutide

Study Details

Brief summary:

The objectives of this study are as follows:

Primary Objective

  • To determine the rate of weight regain in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PWH) receiving semaglutide microdosing vs. no additional drug following induction therapy.

Secondary Objectives

  • To evaluate the tolerability of semaglutide microdosing in adults with HIV.
  • To evaluate changes in weight, waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI) over 12 weeks (W) of semaglutide weight loss induction and 48 W of semaglutide microdosing therapy.

Conditions

Weight Gain

Study ID

NCT07325500

Start date

Feb 12, 2026

Status verified date

Feb, 2026

Completion date

Jun 30, 2029

Anticipated

Primary completion date

May 31, 2028

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Confirmed human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)
  • On antiretroviral therapy (ART) for greater than or equal to 24 weeks prior to entry and no change in regimen in the 12 weeks prior to entry or planned change for the study duration
  • HIV-1 ribonucleic acid (RNA) <200 copies/mL at screening
  • BMI greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 or greater than or equal to 27 kg/m2 if also with greater than or equal to 1 weight-related comorbidity
  • If taking anti-inflammatory or blood-pressure-/lipid-/glucose-lowering medications, no change in dose for greater than or equal to 12 weeks prior to entry and no plans to dose escalate for the study duration
  • All participants must be willing and able to provide written informed consent and undergo all required study procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Weight greater than or equal to 400 pounds \[due to dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) machine limitations\] or unexplained weight change greater than or equal to 5% in the 12 weeks prior to entry
  • Diagnosis of or on treatment for diabetes mellitus (stable metformin dosing for pre-diabetes not excluded)
  • Current or planned use of medications for the treatment of obesity, or medications likely to cause significant changes in weight, during the study period
  • Plans to newly engage in formal, intensive physical activity or diet (such as ketogenic or very low carbohydrate) programs during the study period
  • Active eating disorder
  • Use of human growth hormone, tesamorelin or anabolic steroids <12 weeks prior to entry, unless on a stable dose for >24 weeks prior to entry, or plans to start any of these medications while on study
  • Active, severe delayed gastric emptying
  • Prior bariatric surgery or major gastric surgery or plans for weight reduction surgery while on study
  • Known retinopathy
  • Personal or first-degree relative history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2
  • Untreated, poorly controlled or previously undiagnosed thyroid disease
  • Chronic pancreatitis
  • Known allergy/sensitivity to Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist (GLP-1RA)
  • Poorly controlled or previously undiagnosed thyroid disease, defined as thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) <0.5 or >10 milli-international units per liter (mIU/L) at screening
  • Active drug or alcohol use that, in the opinion of the investigator, would interfere with adherence to study requirements
  • Pregnancy, nursing or plans for either during the study period
  • Use of planned use of any immunomodulatory therapy HIV vaccine, investigational therapy or tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) therapy during the study period
  • Current serious illness requiring systemic treatment and/or hospitalization, in the opinion of site investigator

Study Design

Enrollment

30 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Dose escalation to 2 mg semaglutide weekly then semaglutide microdosing at 0.5 mg weekly

Participants will initiate semaglutide at 0.25 milligrams (mg) subcutaneously per week with dose titration up to 2.0 mg subcutaneously per week, over a total of 12 weeks. Dose titration will occur as follows: 0.25 mg weekly for 2 weeks, then 0.5 mg weekly for 2 weeks, then 1 mg weekly for 4 weeks, then 2.0 mg weekly for 4 weeks. Then, participants in this arm will receive microdosing with semaglutide at 0.5 mg subcutaneously every week during weeks 13-60.

experimental: Dose escalation to 2 mg semaglutide weekly then no semaglutide

Participants will initiate semaglutide at 0.25 milligrams (mg) subcutaneously per week with dose titration up to 2.0 mg subcutaneously per week, over a total of 12 weeks. Dose titration will occur as follows: 0.25 mg weekly for 2 weeks, then 0.5 mg weekly for 2 weeks, then 1 mg weekly for 4 weeks, then 2.0 mg weekly for 4 weeks. Then, participants in this arm will receive no semaglutide during weeks 13-60.

Interventions

Dose escalation to 2 mg semaglutide weekly then semaglutide microdosing at 0.5 mg weekly

Participants will initiate semaglutide at 0.25 milligrams (mg) subcutaneously per week with dose titration up to 2.0 mg subcutaneously per week, over a total of 12 weeks. Dose titration will occur as follows: 0.25 mg weekly for 2 weeks, then 0.5 mg weekly for 2 weeks, then 1 mg weekly for 4 weeks, then 2.0 mg weekly for 4 weeks. Then, participants in this arm will receive microdosing with semaglutide at 0.5 mg subcutaneously every week during weeks 13-60.

Dose escalation to 2 mg semaglutide weekly then no semaglutide

Participants will initiate semaglutide at 0.25 milligrams (mg) subcutaneously per week with dose titration up to 2.0 mg subcutaneously per week, over a total of 12 weeks. Dose titration will occur as follows: 0.25 mg weekly for 2 weeks, then 0.5 mg weekly for 2 weeks, then 1 mg weekly for 4 weeks, then 2.0 mg weekly for 4 weeks. Then, participants in this arm will receive no semaglutide during weeks 13-60.

Primary outcome measure

  • Percent weight regain from weeks 12-60 (microdosing period) [ Time Frame: from week 12 to week 60 ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Jordan E Lake, MD, MSc

713-500-6767Jordan.E.Lake@uth.tmc.edu

Arezou S Akha

713-500-5541arezou.sadighiakha@uth.tmc.edu

Locations

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Recruiting

Houston, Texas, United States, 77030

Contacts

Jordan E Lake, MD, MSc

713-500-6767Jordan.E.Lake@uth.tmc.edu

Arezou S Akha

713-500-5541arezou.sadighiakha@uth.tmc.edu

More Information

Sponsor

The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Last update posted

Feb 18, 2026

Last verified

Feb, 2026

Keywords

  • semaglutide
  • HIV
  • obesity

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston on 2026-02-18.