Semaglutide and Tirzepatide for Genetic Aging Delay in Adults With Obesity

December 18, 2025 updated by: Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University

Assessing the Role of GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Semaglutide and Dual GLP-I/GIP Receptor Agonist Tirzepatide in Delaying Genetic Aging in Adult Obese Patients Using the iWatchAge Technology

This study is a prospective, randomized, open-label clinical trial enrolling 66 adults with simple obesity who have not used weight-loss medications for at least 3 months. Participants will receive semaglutide, tirzepatide, or metformin for 24 weeks. Changes in "biological (epigenetic) age" will be assessed using the iWatchAge DNA methylation age test, while simultaneously monitoring improvements in aging-related biomarkers such as inflammatory factors, metabolic parameters, and body composition. The aim is to determine whether incretin-based therapies can reverse or slow obesity-related accelerated epigenetic aging and to provide new clinical evidence for interventions targeting obesity and aging.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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 (Estimated)

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.
66

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.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • China
      • Hangzhou, China
        • Recruiting
        • The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
        • Contact:

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Adults aged 18 to 75 years.
  2. Diagnosed with simple obesity, defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m².
  3. Have not used any anti-obesity medications (including GLP-1 RAs, tirzepatide, metformin for weight loss, etc.) within the past 3 months.
  4. Able and willing to comply with study procedures and complete follow-up assessments.
  5. Provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Presence of secondary obesity (e.g., endocrine disorders such as Cushing's syndrome or hypothyroidism).
  2. Use of anti-obesity medications or participation in another weight-loss program within the past 3 months.
  3. Diagnosed type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus requiring hypoglycemic drug therapy.
  4. History of pancreatitis, severe gastrointestinal disease, or bariatric surgery.
  5. Severe cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, or psychiatric disease that may affect participation.
  6. Pregnant or breastfeeding women, or women planning pregnancy during the study period.
  7. Current participation in any other clinical trial.
  8. Any condition that, in the investigator's judgment, makes the participant unsuitable for the study.

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: None (Open Label)

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.
Experimental: Semaglutide Group
Semaglutide administered once weekly by subcutaneous iniection. Dose titrated from 0.25 mg to 2.0 mg as tolerated over 24 weeks
Drug: Semaglutide
Semaglutide administered once weekly by subcutaneous injection.Dose titrated from 0.25 mg to 2.0 mg as tolerated over 24 weeks
Experimental: Tirzepatide Group
Tirzepatide administered once weekly by subcutaneous injection. Dose titrated from 2.5 mg to 10 mg as tolerated over 24 weeks
Drug: Tirzepatide
Tirzepatide administered once weekly by subcutaneous injection. Dose titrated from 2.5 mg to 10 mg as tolerated over 24 weeks
Active Comparator: Metformin Group
Metformin administered orally. Dose titrated from 500 mg to 1500-2000 mg daily, based on tolerance, for 24 weeks.
Drug: Metformin
Metformin administered orally. Dose titrated from 500 mg to 1500-2000 mg daily, based on tolerance, for 24 weeks

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
Change in DNA methylation-based biological age measured by iWatchAge
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 24
Change in epigenetic biological age from baseline to Week 24, measured using the iWatchAge DNA methylation assay. This outcome reflects whether semaglutide, tirzepatide, or metformin can delay or reverse obesity-associated accelerated epigenetic aging.
Baseline and Week 24

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.
Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang 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 2, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
April 2, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

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 2, 2027

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).
November 24, 2025

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.
December 18, 2025

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.
December 19, 2025

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.
December 19, 2025

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.
December 18, 2025

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.
June 1, 2025

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.
  • 2025-0568

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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.

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