New combo therapy aims to help bariatric patients drop weight and kick the habit before surgery
NCT ID NCT07224087
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Sep 10, 2026 · Updated 5 times
Summary
This early-stage study at Yale is testing whether a combination of two medications (naltrexone and bupropion) plus cognitive-behavioral therapy can help people who are considering bariatric surgery lose weight and stop smoking. Twenty participants will receive the treatment for four months. The main goal is to see if the program is feasible and acceptable, not yet to prove it works.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Naltrexone and Bupropion
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward an effective pre-surgery program that helps patients lose weight and stop smoking before bariatric surgery, potentially improving surgical outcomes.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early Phase 1 pilot with only 20 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The medications have known side effects and interactions, and the program may not work for everyone.
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
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Phase 1
The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.
- Participants
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About 20 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Oct 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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: * Be actively considering bariatric surgery. * Smoke at least 5 cigarettes daily for the past 3 months. * Have a BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2. * Not currently taking medications that interact with Naltrexone or Bupropion (e.g., opiates, benzodiazepines). * No history of medical conditions that are contraindicated with Naltrexone or Bupropion (e.g., seizure disorders, uncontrolled hypertension, cardiac issues including history of heart attacks, heart disease, or stroke, history of anorexia or bulimia nervosa). * Physically well enough to participate in the intervention (e.g., able to walk independently). * Speak/read/write in English. * Be 18-65 years old. * Not currently pregnant or breastfeeding or have plans to become pregnant or breastfeed during the study. * No active suicidal or homicidal ideation. Exclusion Criteria: * Has a predisposition to seizures (e.g., subject with a history or evidence of seizure disorder, febrile seizures during childhood, brain tumor, cerebrovascular disease, or significant head trauma; has a family history of idiopathic seizure disorder or is currently being treated with medications or treatment regimens that lower seizure threshold). * Has a history of anorexia nervosa or history of bulimia nervosa. * Is currently taking a medication that is contraindicated to Naltrexone or Bupropion (e.g., MAOIs, opiates). * Has a history of allergy or sensitivity to Naltrexone or Bupropion. * Has a co-existing psychiatric condition that requires hospitalization or more intensive treatment (such as bipolar mood disorders, psychotic illnesses, or severe depression). * Has untreated hypertension with a seated systolic blood pressure \> 160 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure \> 100 mmHg, or heart rate \> 100 beats/minute. * Has a history of congenital heart disease, cardiovascular disease, cardiac arrhythmias requiring medication, or a history of cerebrovascular pathology including stroke. * Has current uncontrolled Type I or Type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Has a history of severe renal, hepatic, neurological, chronic pulmonary, or gallbladder disease, or any other unstable medical disorder. * Is breast-feeding or is pregnant or is not using a reliable form of birth control. * Reports active suicidal or homicidal ideation.
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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.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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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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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
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Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina, 29407, United States
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