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Ear zaps could help shed extra pounds when drugs fall short

NCT ID NCT07619989

Disease control Sponsor: The Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jul 31, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study tests whether a gentle electrical stimulation of the ear (taVNS) can help overweight or obese people lose more weight when they haven't lost enough on the medication tirzepatide alone. 24 participants will receive either active ear stimulation or a sham (fake) stimulation for 12 weeks, alongside their regular medication. The main goal is to see if the active stimulation leads to greater weight loss.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) plus tirzepatide
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a non-drug way to help people lose more weight when medication alone isn't enough.
What could go wrong
This is a very small, early pilot study with only 24 people, so results may not apply broadly. The nerve stimulation may cause discomfort or not provide added benefit.

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

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 24 people

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

Expected to start

Aug 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Sep 2027

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 50 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

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: 1. Individuals with obesity, or overweight accompanied by at least one weight-related comorbidity (e.g., hypertension or fatty liver disease), who have been receiving tirzepatide therapy for at least 12 weeks and have achieved ≤10% weight loss during treatment; 2. Willingness to provide written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Presence of diseases that may substantially affect body weight homeostasis, including Cushing's syndrome, uncontrolled thyroid disease (thyroid-stimulating hormone \>6.0 mIU/L or \<0.4 mIU/L), malignancy, or similar conditions; 2. Use within the past 3 months of medications, other than incretin receptor agonists, that may significantly affect body weight, including glucocorticoids and antipsychotic agents; 3. Skin infection or damage involving the auricular area; 4. Women planning pregnancy in the near future; 5. Contraindications to MRI, such as metallic prostheses or claustrophobia; 6. Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus; Inability to complete the 12-week intervention period for practical reasons, such as frequent business travel or planned travel.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Obesity obesity disorder Overweight

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Obesity & overweight

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.

    Open the record ↗

  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

  • Department of Endocrinology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School

    RECRUITING

    Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China

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