Scientists probe why insulin fails to control fat in Upper-Body obesity

NCT ID NCT03866408

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This early-phase study at Mayo Clinic is looking at why insulin doesn't properly control fat breakdown in people with upper-body obesity. Researchers will test the diabetes drug pioglitazone and weight loss programs in 64 adults to see how fat cells respond. The goal is to understand the underlying biology, not to find an immediate cure.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Pioglitazone
What this could lead to
If successful, this study could reveal why insulin fails to control fat breakdown in upper-body obesity, pointing toward better treatments for insulin resistance.
What could go wrong
This is a very early, small study focused on understanding biological mechanisms, not on proving a treatment works. Results may not lead to new therapies.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Early phase 1

The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.

Participants

About 64 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Nov 2018

Expected to finish

Dec 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 55 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Men and Women between the ages of 18 and 55. * Women will be premenopausal * Non obese adults BMI between 18-25 * Obese BMI 30-38 Exclusion Criteria, Pioglitazone package insert of contraindications for use: * Initiation in patients with established New York Heart Associations (NYHA) class III or IV Heart failure. * Use in patients with known hypersensitivity to pioglitazone or any other component of ACTOSE.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Mayo Clinic in Rochester

    RECRUITING

    Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States

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