Tirzepatide for weight loss in people with obesity after a kidney transplant
Tests tirzepatide for weight loss in adults with obesity after kidney transplant.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Tirzepatide (Spartina) in Obese Kidney Transplant Recipients
Key facts
- Where
- Tehran, IranSee the site
- Phase
- Phase 4
Where in Iran
- Nooshin DaliliTehran, IranTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
- Trial code
- NCT07423247
- Record updated
- 20 February 2026
- Original description
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.Read full original descriptionShow less
Safety and Efficacy of Tirzepatide (Spartina) in Obese Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Pilot Study on Weight Loss, Gastrointestinal Tolerability, and Graft Function
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.
Inclusion: 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.
Exclusion: History of pancreatitis; History of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or MEN2 syndrome; Any condition judged by the investigator to interfere with study participation or safety; eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73m²; Severe gastroparesis; Acute rejection episode within the past 6 months.