Pharmacological and Behavioral Treatments After Bariatric Surgery: Maintenance Treatment (Stage 2a)

August 4, 2026 updated by: Yale University

Pharmacological and Behavioral Treatments to Treat Loss-of-Control Eating and Improve Weight Outcomes After Bariatric Surgery: Maintenance Treatment (Stage 2a)

This study will test the effectiveness of naltrexone/bupropion medication as a maintenance therapy for the treatment of loss-of-control eating and weight loss following bariatric surgery. This is a controlled test of whether, amongst responders to acute treatments, naltrexone/bupropion medication results in superior maintenance and longer-term outcomes compared with placebo.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
24

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2
  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Connecticut
      • New Haven, Connecticut, United States, 06510
        • Yale School of Medicine

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Be in the age range ≥18 years of age and ≤70 years of age.
  • Have had laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy
  • Approximately ten months post-surgery
  • Experienced regular loss of control eating about six months after bariatric surgery, and were considered treatment responders to a four-month treatment trial of medication and/or BWL
  • Be an otherwise healthy subject without uncontrolled medical problems, as determined by the study physician and medical co-investigators (physical examination, laboratory studies).
  • Read, comprehend, and write English at a sufficient level to complete study-related materials.
  • Provide a signed and dated written informed consent prior to study participation.
  • Be available for participation in the study for up to 15 months (3-month treatment plus 12-month follow up).

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 a contraindication to NB medication (e.g., MAOI, opiates).
  • Is currently using other medications for weight loss.
  • Has a history of allergy or sensitivity to bupropion or naltrexone.
  • 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 hypertension.
  • Has current uncontrolled Type I or Type II diabetes mellitus.
  • Has untreated hypothyroidism with a TSH > 1.5 times the upper limit of normal for the - test laboratory with repeat value that also exceeds this limit.
  • Has gallbladder disease.
  • Has a history of severe renal, hepatic, neurological, chronic pulmonary disease, or any other unstable medical disorder.
  • Has a recent history of drug or alcohol dependence (since having bariatric surgery).
  • Is currently in active treatment for eating or weight loss.
  • Is currently participating in another clinical study in which the subject is or will be exposed to an investigational or a non-investigational drug or device.
  • Is breast-feeding or is pregnant or is not using a reliable form of birth control.
  • Reports active suicidal or homicidal ideation.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Other: Placebo
Placebo will be inactive and taken daily in pill form.
Experimental: Naltrexone+Bupropion Medication
Drug: Naltrexone and Bupropion (NB) medication
NB medication will be taken daily in pill form.
Other Names:
  • Contrave

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Percent Weight Change
Time Frame: From post-treatment to the 6-month follow-up
Percent weight loss is calculated based on change from post-treatment to the 6-month follow-up. Negative values indicate weight loss.
From post-treatment to the 6-month follow-up
Percent Weight Change
Time Frame: From post-treatment to the 12-month follow-up
Percent weight loss is calculated based on change from post-treatment to the 12-month follow-up. Negative values indicate weight loss.
From post-treatment to the 12-month follow-up
Loss-of-control Eating Relapse
Time Frame: At post-treatment after the 12-week treatment
Relapse will be scored as a yes/no (categorical variable); this categorical variable will be based on frequency of loss-of-control eating episodes assessed using the Eating Disorder Examination interview; Relapse category will be defined as ≥4 loss-of-control eating per month.
At post-treatment after the 12-week treatment
Loss-of-control Eating Relapse
Time Frame: From post-treatment to the 6-month follow-up
Relapse will be scored as a yes/no (categorical variable); this categorical variable will be based on frequency of loss-of-control eating episodes assessed using the Eating Disorder Examination interview; Relapse category will be defined as ≥4 loss-of-control eating per month.
From post-treatment to the 6-month follow-up
Loss-of-control Eating Relapse
Time Frame: From post-treatment to the 12-month follow-up
Relapse will be scored as a yes/no (categorical variable); this categorical variable will be based on frequency of loss-of-control eating episodes assessed using the Eating Disorder Examination interview; Relapse category will be defined as ≥4 loss-of-control eating per month.
From post-treatment to the 12-month follow-up
Percent Weight Change
Time Frame: From baseline at study enrollment to after the 12-week treatment
Percent weight loss is calculated based on change from pre-treatment to post-treatment at 12 weeks. Negative values indicate weight loss.
From baseline at study enrollment to after the 12-week treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Loss-of-control Eating Frequency
Time Frame: At post-treatment after the 12-week treatment
Loss-of-control eating frequency is a continuous variable of loss-of-control eating episodes assessed using the Eating Disorder Examination interview; Loss-of-control eating frequency will be based on the past 28 days and defined as loss-of-control eating episodes per month.
At post-treatment after the 12-week treatment
Loss-of-control Eating Frequency
Time Frame: 6-month follow-up after the end of treatment
Loss-of-control eating frequency is a continuous variable of loss-of-control eating episodes assessed using the Eating Disorder Examination interview; Loss-of-control eating frequency will be based on the past 28 days and defined as loss-of-control eating episodes per month.
6-month follow-up after the end of treatment
Loss-of-control Eating Frequency
Time Frame: 12-month follow-up after the end of treatment
Loss-of-control eating frequency is a continuous variable of loss-of-control eating episodes assessed using the Eating Disorder Examination interview; Loss-of-control eating frequency will be based on the past 28 days and defined as loss-of-control eating episodes per month.
12-month follow-up after the end of treatment
Eating Disorder Psychopathology
Time Frame: At post-treatment after the 12-week treatment
Eating-disorder psychopathology is a continuous variable as assessed by the global score of the Eating Disorder Examination/Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire. Scores range from 0-6 (0=no eating-disorder psychopathology; 6=severe eating-disorder psychopathology).
At post-treatment after the 12-week treatment
Eating Disorder Psychopathology
Time Frame: 6-month follow-up after the end of treatment
Eating-disorder psychopathology is a continuous variable as assessed by the global score of the Eating Disorder Examination/Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire. Scores range from 0-6 (0=no eating-disorder psychopathology; 6=severe eating-disorder psychopathology).
6-month follow-up after the end of treatment
Eating Disorder Psychopathology
Time Frame: 12-month follow-up after the end of treatment
Eating-disorder psychopathology is a continuous variable as assessed by the global score of the Eating Disorder Examination/Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire. Scores range from 0-6 (0=no eating-disorder psychopathology; 6=severe eating-disorder psychopathology).
12-month follow-up after the end of treatment
Depressive Symptoms
Time Frame: At post-treatment after the 12-week treatment
Depressive symptoms is a continuous variable of depressive symptomatology as assessed by the self-report measure, the Patient Health Questionnaire - 9. Scores range from 0-27 (0=no depressive symptoms, 27=greater depressive symptoms).
At post-treatment after the 12-week treatment
Depressive Symptoms
Time Frame: 6-month follow-up after the end of treatment
Depressive symptoms is a continuous variable of depressive symptomatology as assessed by the self-report measure, the Patient Health Questionnaire - 9. Scores range from 0-27 (0=no depressive symptoms, 27=greater depressive symptoms).
6-month follow-up after the end of treatment
Depressive Symptoms
Time Frame: 12-month follow-up after the end of treatment
Depressive symptoms is a continuous variable of depressive symptomatology as assessed by the self-report measure, the Patient Health Questionnaire - 9. Scores range from 0-27 (0=no depressive symptoms, 27=greater depressive symptoms).
12-month follow-up after the end of treatment

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Yale University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Valentina Ivezaj, Ph.D., Yale University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 10, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 4, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 4, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 21, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 21, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 27, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 26, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 4, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2000029057a
  • 5R01DK126637-02 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings