�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

Hong Finds Disparities in Clinical Trial Participation in America

John Brandon Cantrell — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 20:43:37 +0000

Hong Finds Disparities in Clinical Trial Participation in America John Brandon C… Tue, 02/01/2022 - 15:43

Clinical trial participation in America remains low and improving equity in clinical trials is essential to reducing health disparities

Public participation in clinical trials are the foundation of clinical research and the cornerstone for the discovery of new treatments. Even though most Americans view clinical trials favorably, the rate of participation remains low and significant gaps exist. For example, minorities and people of low socioeconomic status are less likely to participate in clinical trials. In addition, over the past two decades the internet has reshaped how people seek health information, but it is unknown if clinical trial participation has changed with the rise of the eHealth movement, which has led people to use more telehealth and online health communications.

Data from a national representative survey, led by Dr. Alicia Hong, professor of Health Administration and Policy at �鶹��Ƶ, suggest that American participation in clinical trials remains low and a significant disparity exists. People who have used eHealth tools are more likely to participate in clinical trials, and doctors who practice patient-centered communication can facilitate such participation.

The study is one of the first to report American participation in clinical trials using a large survey. Hong found that about 5% of American adults have ever participated in a clinical trial. Participation is associated with being female, white, and having a higher level of education. Data showed that health disparities in clinical trial participation remain persistent.

“Those who are more engaged in eHealth, for example, searching health information online, communicating with doctors via patient portals, using apps, or wearable devices to track health, are more likely to participate in clinical trials,” Hong said.

“We also found that if people feel their doctors or health care providers practice patient-centered communication, or when patients and providers have trusting relationships, the effect of eHealth engagement in clinical trial participation is amplified.”

“Given that significant disparities exist in American participation in clinical trials,” Hong commented, “We advocate for more targeted interventions in underserved communities. In the current context of eHealth movement, it’s critical to address the digital divide, and to enhance patient-provider communication.”

The study was partially supported by Alzheimer's and Related Diseases Research Award Fund of Virginia Center for Aging.

Clinical trial participation in America: The roles of eHealth engagement and patient–provider communication - Shaohai Jiang, Y. Alicia Hong, 2021 (sagepub.com)