MAINTAIN (Mucosal AblatIoN Therapy After INcretins)

NCT ID: NCT06734312

Last Updated: 2025-03-21

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 20 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-01-01
• Study Completion Date: 2026-06-30

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of gastric fundal mucosal ablation (GFMA) on weight trajectory following discontinuation of once-weekly semaglutide or tirzepatide in adults with obesity. In this study, GFMA will be performed on patients who have experienced > 10% weight loss with GLP-1 therapy and who plan to discontinue use of GLP-1 medications for the duration of the study.

Detailed Description

Obesity is a multifactorial, chronic, and progressive disease of pandemic proportions. Incretin mimetics , such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, induce weight loss in adults with obesity, while also improving weight-related medical conditions, such as cardiac and renal disease. The beneficial effects on weight and metabolism require the continued presence of these medications, which have a half-life of approximately five to seven days. This concept was substantially illustrated in the STEP4 and SURMOUNT4 randomized controlled trials. In the STEP4 trial, adults with obesity were treated with semaglutide for a 20-week run-in, losing 10.6% of body weight, thereafter randomized 2:1 to continued semaglutide use vs placebo. Over the subsequent 48 weeks, the semaglutide arm lost an additional 7.9% of original body weight, whereas the placebo arm saw two-thirds the lost weight return. In the SURMOUNT-4 trial, adults with obesity were treated with tirzepatide for a 36-week run-in period, losing 20.9% of body weight, thereafter, randomized 1:1 for continued treatment or placebo. Over the subsequent 52 weeks, the treatment arm lost an additional 5.5% of body weight, whereas the placebo arm saw a return of approximately half the weight that had been lost. These observations present challenges for long-term obesity management when confronted by multiple reports showing high rates of discontinuation of incretin mimetics soon after initiation. These observations present challenges for long-term obesity management when confronted by multiple reports showing high rates of discontinuation of incretin mimetics soon after initiation. Gastric fundal mucosal ablation (GFMA) is a novel endoscopic approach to control appetite which uses hybrid argon plasma coagulation (HybridAPC) to ablate the superficial tissue of the gastric fundus to induce cell death and fibrotic remodeling. In an early safety and feasibility study of ten adults with obesity, GFMA reduced circulating levels of the only known hunger hormone in humans, ghrelin. This led to a measured suppression of inter-meal hunger and cravings, as well as improved confidence in the ability to resist cravings. In addition to reducing ghrelin-producing cell population within the fundus, GFMA induced significant fundal fibrin deposition. This resulted in a stiffer, less compliant fundus, reducing maximum tolerated volume of a standardized nutrient drink test, enhancing intra-meal satiation. Given that GFMA induces appetite control through both visceroceptive and hormonal mechanism, much like incretin mimetics, we hypothesize that GFMA can prevent or limit weight recurrence in adults who have stopped these medications after successful obesity treatment.

Conditions

Obesity and Obesity-related Medical Conditions; Obesity and Overweight; Obesity Prevention; Obesity Recidivism; GLP-1; Ablation Techniques

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Gastric Fundal Mucosal Ablation (GFMA) following discontinuation of GLP-1 therapy

Subjects will undergo endoscopic Gastric Fundal Mucosal Ablation (GFMA) following following discontinuation of GLP-1 therapy. This will be performed by an experienced endoscopist specialized in bariatric endoscopy in a single endoscopic session.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Gastric Fundal Mucosal Ablation (GFMA)

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Endoscopic Gastric Fundal Mucosal Ablation (GFMA) after discontinuation of GLP-1 therapy

Interventions

Gastric Fundal Mucosal Ablation (GFMA)

Endoscopic Gastric Fundal Mucosal Ablation (GFMA) after discontinuation of GLP-1 therapy

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Subjects aged 21-65

2. Body mass Index (BMI) ≥30 kilograms per square meter (kg/m²), or ≤45 kg/m²

3. Observed ≥ 10% TBWL with semaglutide or tirzepatide use for primary obesity therapy

4. Subject did not experience >50% weight recurrence since discontinuation of semaglutide or tirzepatide

5. Maintained a stable dose of semaglutide or tirzepatide for a minimum of 12 weeks

6. Have recently discontinued or are planning to discontinue semaglutide or tirzepatide (≤ 24 weeks from last dose to time of study procedure)

7. No previous medical history of diabetes mellitus

8. Willing and able to participate in the study procedures

9. Understand and voluntarily sign the informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

1. Known diagnosis of type I or type II diabetes or a Hemoglobin A1c > 6.5% at time of screening

2. Use of GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medication for the treatment of diabetes, rather than obesity.

3. Use of anticoagulation, antithrombotic agents, and/or NSAIDs that cannot be discontinued for a minimum of 12 weeks

4. Known bleeding diathesis that cannot be corrected through medical means.

5. History of decompensated end-organ disease

6. Unwillingness to abstain from the use of incretin mimetics during the study duration.

7. Unwillingness to abstain from the use of tobacco during the study duration

8. Patients on any medications or supplements including those that may influence cholecystokinin (CCK), glucose, growth hormone, insulin and/or somatostatin levels

9. History of any stomach manipulation (including repair of hiatal hernia or fundoplication) deemed unsafe by PI for GFMA

10. Active disordered eating

11. Patients who do not give their consent to the enrollment in the study or are incompetent, unconscious or unable to express their consent for any reason

12. Known diagnosis of gastroparesis or functional dyspepsia

13. Patients who are pregnant, who plan to become pregnant during study duration, or patients of child-bearing potential who refuse effective birth control methods (as approved by PI)

14. Active H. pylori infection or history of H pylori without treatment and confirmation of eradication

15. Active gastric ulceration.

16. Use of concomitant medications known to induce weight loss (including but not limited to liraglutide, phentermine, phentermine/topiramate, bupropion/naltrexone, metformin)

• Minimum Eligible Age: 21 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Dr. Christopher McGowan

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Dr. Christopher McGowan

Co-Founder/Co-CEO/Chief Medical Officer

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Christopher McGowan, MD, MSCR

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

True You Weight Loss

Locations

True You Weight Loss

Cary, North Carolina, United States

Site Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING

True You Weight Loss

Cary, North Carolina, United States

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

United States

Central Contacts

Shannon Casey, MS

Role: CONTACT

Shannon@trueyouweightloss.com

(919) 391-7843

Chase Wooley, BS

Role: CONTACT

Chase@trueyouweightloss.com

(984) 345-2988

Facility Contacts

Chase Wooley, BS

Role: primary

Chase@trueyouweightloss.com

(984) 345-2988

Shannon Casey, MS

Role: backup

Shannon@trueyouweightloss.com

(919) 391-7843

Shannon Casey, MS

Role: primary

Shannon@trueyouweightloss.com

919-391-7843

Chase Wooley, BS

Role: backup

chase@trueyouweightloss.com

984-345-2988

References

Kumbhari V, Lehmann S, Schlichting N, Heinrich M, Kullnick Y, Retschlag U, Enderle M, Dietrich A, Khashab MA, Kalloo AN, Oberbach A. Gastric mucosal devitalization is safe and effective in reducing body weight and visceral adiposity in a porcine model. Gastrointest Endosc. 2018 Jul;88(1):175-184.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.gie.2018.02.022. Epub 2018 Feb 22.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 29476845 (View on PubMed)

Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Davies M, Van Gaal LF, Kandler K, Konakli K, Lingvay I, McGowan BM, Oral TK, Rosenstock J, Wadden TA, Wharton S, Yokote K, Kushner RF; STEP 1 Study Group. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: The STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2022 Aug;24(8):1553-1564. doi: 10.1111/dom.14725. Epub 2022 May 19.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 35441470 (View on PubMed)

Popoviciu MS, Paduraru L, Yahya G, Metwally K, Cavalu S. Emerging Role of GLP-1 Agonists in Obesity: A Comprehensive Review of Randomised Controlled Trials. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jun 21;24(13):10449. doi: 10.3390/ijms241310449.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 37445623 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

PS-004

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id