Weight Control

�鶹��Ƶ leads phase 2 clinical trial for pill to help maintain weight loss after GLP-1s

Taylor Thomas — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:52:49 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ leads phase 2 clinical trial for pill to help maintain weight loss after GLP-1s Taylor Thomas Fri, 01/09/2026 - 10:52

GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have transformed obesity treatment, but maintaining weight loss after the medications stop remains a challenge. �鶹��Ƶ is leading a new clinical trial that may help people sustain their results.

The university is one of six research sites across the United States administering a Phase 2 clinical trial of ARD-201, a novel weight-maintenance drug developed by Aardvark Therapeutics that works differently from existing obesity medications. Unlike injectable medications that drive significant short-term weight loss, ARD-201 is being studied for its potential role in appetite regulation and weight maintenance after injectable therapy ends. The oral medication works by activating the bitter taste receptors in the gut and brain without creating an actual bitter taste, signaling the body to eat less.

Lawrence Cheskin. Photo by Emma Anderson.

“It’s almost a survival instinct,” said Lawrence Cheskin, obesity researcher, professor, and past chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, which is leading the George �鶹��Ƶ research site for the trial. “When something tastes bitter, the body assumes there may be a toxin, so you back off.”

By subtly triggering that signal, the drug appears to reduce appetite without the dramatic effects associated with injectable medications. “This isn’t going to cause large weight loss on its own,” Cheskin said. “The question is whether it can help people keep weight off.”

The trial will enroll adults who previously lost weight using injectable medications and have since stopped them. Researchers will track how much weight participants regain over time and compare outcomes with published data showing typical patterns of weight regain after injectables are ceased. The study is an open-label Phase 2 trial, meaning participants know they are receiving the drug, and there is no placebo comparison group.

Earlier research helped lay the groundwork for the current study. A closely related compound, ARD-101, was previously tested for treating Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare genetic condition marked by extreme, chronic hunger. ARD-201 is now under investigation as an oral therapy for broader obesity and weight-management use.

George �鶹��Ƶ was selected as a trial site based on its longstanding expertise in obesity research and clinical weight management, according to Cheskin. If results from this Phase 2 study are promising, they could inform larger, randomized trials to more rigorously test the drug’s effectiveness for long-term weight maintenance.

Thumbnail photo by David Trinks via Unsplash.

In This Story

Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD

Learn more about Research at George �鶹��Ƶ

Topics

Weight Control

Obesity

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies

Clinical Trials

College of Public Health

South Florida Reporter: Dr. Sapna Batheja comments on the limitations of research in an article on the weight loss method of front-loading calories

eander6 — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 15:59:05 +0000

South Florida Reporter: Dr. Sapna Batheja comments on the limitations of research in an article on the weight loss method of front-loading calories eander6 Tue, 09/13/2022 - 11:59

In This Story

Sapna Batheja, PhD, RDN, LDN

Why Front-Loading Calories May Not Help You Lose Weight.

Topics

Nutrition

Nutrition Faculty

Weight Control

Nutrition and Weight Management

CHHS in the Media

College of Health and Human Services

College of Health and Human Services Department of Nutrition and Food Studies

Wide Open eats: Health Administration Alumna Brianna Graham writes about fatphobia and the evolution of the ideal body type.

eander6 — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 18:13:36 +0000

Wide Open eats: Health Administration Alumna Brianna Graham writes about fatphobia and the evolution of the ideal body type. eander6 Wed, 01/19/2022 - 13:13

Fatphobia & Its Racist Past.

Topics

Weight Control

CHHS Alumni

CHHS in the Media

Health Administration

HAP Alumni

College of Health and Human Services

College of Health and Human Services Department of Health Administration and Policy

CPH Upward

San Francisco Chronicle: Picks up the Washington Post story in which Dr. Larry Cheskin comments on gaining weight over the holidays.

eander6 — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 14:57:22 +0000

San Francisco Chronicle: Picks up the Washington Post story in which Dr. Larry Cheskin comments on gaining weight over the holidays. eander6 Tue, 12/14/2021 - 09:57

In This Story

Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD

A holiday gift that no one wants: More weight.

Topics

College of Health and Human Services

College of Health and Human Services Department of Global and Community Health

Northern Virginia Magazine: Dr. Elisabeth de Jonge comments on a diet tailored to your circadian rhythms.

eander6 — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 18:54:28 +0000

Northern Virginia Magazine: Dr. Elisabeth de Jonge comments on a diet tailored to your circadian rhythms. eander6 Thu, 11/11/2021 - 13:54

In This Story

Lilian de Jonge, PhD

The Time You Eat at Could Make You Gain Weight, This �鶹��Ƶ Professor Says.

Topics

College of Health and Human Services

College of Health and Human Services Department of Nutrition and Food Studies

Weight Control

�鶹��Ƶ leads phase 2 clinical trial for pill to help maintain weight loss after GLP-1s

In This Story

Related Stories

Topics

South Florida Reporter: Dr. Sapna Batheja comments on the limitations of research in an article on the weight loss method of front-loading calories

In This Story

Topics

Wide Open eats: Health Administration Alumna Brianna Graham writes about fatphobia and the evolution of the ideal body type.

Topics

San Francisco Chronicle: Picks up the Washington Post story in which Dr. Larry Cheskin comments on gaining weight over the holidays.

In This Story

Topics

Northern Virginia Magazine: Dr. Elisabeth de Jonge comments on a diet tailored to your circadian rhythms.

In This Story

Topics