Tirzepatide (Spartina) in Obese Kidney Transplant Recipients

Recruiting now · Phase 4

Conditions studied: Tirzepatide

In brief

Post-transplant obesity is a common complication after kidney transplantation, largely attributed to recovery from uremia, increased appetite, sedentary lifestyle, and long-term corticosteroid exposure. Obesity in kidney transplant recipients increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM), and may contribute to graft injury through hyperfiltration-related mechanisms, potentially leading to reduced graft survival. Current approaches for weight management in transplant recipients, including lifestyle modification, are often insufficient, while bariatric surgery carries considerable risks and concerns regarding altered absorption of immunosuppressive medications. Tirzepatide (Iranian brand name: Spartina), the first dual agonist of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptors, has demonstrated superior effects on weight reduction and glycemic control compared with earlier GLP-1 receptor agonists in the general population. However, its use in kidney transplant recipients requires careful evaluation due to potential gastrointestinal adverse effects, dehydration risk, and possible interaction with calcineurin inhibitor absorption caused by delayed gastric emptying. This prospective single-arm pilot clinical trial aims to assess the preliminary safety and efficacy of tirzepatide in obese kidney transplant recipients with stable graft function. Outcomes include changes in anthropometric indices, percent weight change, gastrointestinal tolerability, immunosuppressive drug trough levels, and graft function over 24 weeks of treatment.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07423247

Run by

Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences

People needed

30

Starts

2026-01-01

Expected to finish

2026-09-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-02-20

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Age ≥ 18 years
• Kidney transplant recipient with ≥12 months since transplantation
• BMI ≥ 27 kg/m²
• Stable graft function in the last 3 months (serum creatinine variation < 20%)
• Stable immunosuppressive regimen
• Ability to provide written informed consent

You may not qualify if…

• History of pancreatitis
• Severe gastroparesis
• History of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or MEN2 syndrome
• eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73m²
• Acute rejection episode within the past 6 months
• Any condition judged by the investigator to interfere with study participation or safety

Where it is running

• Nooshin Dalili — Tehran, Iran (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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