Effects of Leptin Treatment on Weight Loss

NCT ID: NCT00050791

Last Updated: 2010-10-19

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE2

Total Enrollment

40 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2001-03-31

Study Completion Date

2009-06-30

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

This is a double blind placebo controlled clinical study designed to determine the effects of leptin on the changes that occur in the body during weight loss achieved by a very low calorie diet.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Leptin is a hormone that is produced by the fat tissue and acts on the brain. Leptin plays a key role in regulating energy balance and body weight in animals and in humans.

When a person loses weight, leptin concentration in the blood is reduced. Reduction in blood leptin levels has been found to be related to a decreased metabolic rate (the rate in which the body burns its calories), an increased appetite, and to many other physiological and hormonal changes that may lead to failure in dieting.

This study is aimed to test if maintaining leptin in the pre-diet level range will ameliorate the changes that occur in the body during weight loss. If these changes are reduced, the process of weight loss could be easier and faster when adhering to a low calorie diet.

In this study, leptin or placebo is administered by an injection under the skin, in a way that is similar to injections of insulin to diabetic patients. 50% of the subjects participating in the study are treated by leptin and 50% are treated by placebo. Blood leptin levels are maintained in the pre-diet range in leptin treated subjects by leptin treatment. Subjects treated by placebo will also lose weight if they adhere to the liquid diet provided by the Rockefeller University Bio-nutrition Department. The investigators and the participants don't know if leptin or placebo are used since this is a double blind study.

To participate in this study, subjects have to stay at the Rockefeller University Hospital as inpatients for about two months and continue the study as outpatients for 4 more months. During the outpatient period, subjects have to attend a clinic visit once a week. During the first 3 weeks of the study, subjects are introduced to a weight stabilization liquid diet. During this time, the initial weight is maintained and baseline study tests are performed. When testing is completed, a very low calorie liquid diet and leptin or placebo administration are initiated. Weight is monitored until 10% weight loss is achieved. At this time, a second testing period is performed in an inpatient setting. When testing is completed, weight loss and leptin or placebo treatment continue at home in an outpatient setting until 20% weight loss is achieved. When this period is completed, a third testing period is performed in an inpatient setting. The last month of the study is dedicated to a transition from the liquid diet to solid food, and to weight maintenance education provided by the hospital staff in an outpatient setting. A solid food weight maintenance diet is provided to participants during this period. At the end of this period, two days of testing are performed and leptin/placebo administration is discontinued.

Study testing periods are performed over 12 days in an inpatient setting and include a variety of blood draws, urine collection, and metabolic and behavioral tests that are known to be affected by weight loss.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Obesity

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Investigators

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

VLCD and leptin

Very low calorie diet formula providing 800 calories per day and leptin treatment.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Leptin

Intervention Type DRUG

Leptin is an adipocyte hormone that functions as an afferent signal in a feedback loop regulating body weight

placebo

Very low calorie diet and placebo treatment

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Very Low Calorie Diet

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

placebo injections

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Leptin

Leptin is an adipocyte hormone that functions as an afferent signal in a feedback loop regulating body weight

Intervention Type DRUG

Very Low Calorie Diet

placebo injections

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.

A-100 Recombinant-methionyl Human Leptin (r-metHuLeptin)

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

(1) adult females, age 25-45 with BMI 29-45, and no other acute or chronic illnesses. Pregnant women will not be permitted to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Chronic illnesses other the than mild forms illnesses related to obesity (hypertension, hyperlipidemia etc) that do not require medical treatment
2. Diabetes Mellitus
3. Chronic drug treatment for any medical conditions
4. Inability to give informed consent
5. Inability to give contact information (for outpatient follow up) including permanent residence, provide evidence of a stable living environment for the study period.
6. Active weight reduction of more than 7 pounds in the last 3 months
7. Weight at screening more than 6% lower than the maximal life time weight.
8. History of bleeding or blood clotting disorders.
9. Changes in smoking habits for the last 3 months.
10. Pregnancy or breast feeding in women.
11. Allergic reaction to local anesthetics
12. History of anaphylaxis or anaphylactoid-like reactions
13. Tendency to form scars (keloids) easily
14. Subjects with known hypersensitivity to E Coli-derived proteins or any other component of the A-100 preparation.
15. Irregular menses
16. HIV and hepatitis B or C positive subjects.
Minimum Eligible Age

20 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

45 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Weill Medical College of Cornell University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Columbia University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Rockefeller University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Rockefeller University

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Jeffrey Friedman, MD, PHD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Rockefeller University

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Rockefeller University Hospital

New York, New York, United States

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

JFN 0357

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id