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Acute Metabolic Effects of Tirzepatide in Type 1 Diabetes

Acute Metabolic Effects of Tirzepatide in Type 1 Diabetes: a Phase 2 Double Blinded Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial (TIRTLE2)

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06820281
Acronym
TIRTLE2
Enrollment
44
Registered
2025-02-11
Start date
2025-12-01
Completion date
2027-12-31
Last updated
2025-10-08

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Keywords

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1, Diabetes Mellitus, Autoimmune Diseases, Incretins, Physiological Effects of Drugs, Tirzepatide, Glucose Metabolism Disorders, Metabolic Diseases, Endocrine System Diseases, Overnutrition, Insulin Resistance

Brief summary

This study will examine the effects of Tirzepatide (TZP), a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) - gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP) co-agonist, on metabolism in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Research participants with T1D will undergo measures of insulin sensitivity, and hormone levels post-meal, post-hypoglycemia and during the overnight period. These measures will be performed prior to, and after 6 weeks of treatment with TZP or placebo.

Detailed description

TIRTLE2 is a phase 2 double-blinded placebo-controlled mechanistic clinical trial that extends upon the findings of TIRTLE1, a phase 2 double-blinded placebo-controlled trial (TZP 5.0mg vs placebo over 12 weeks) in T1D (trial registration: ACTRN12624000111572). TIRTLE2 is a designed to determine whether TZP can 1) improve whole body insulin sensitivity, 2) reduce prandial glucagon secretion, 3) impacts lipolysis and growth hormone secretion overnight, and 4) determine if TZP can maintain the glucagon response to hypoglycemia. The acute effects of TZP on metabolism will be assessed after 6 weeks, to limit the degree of weight loss (indicating a role for TZP on improving metabolic physiology in T1D, beyond weight management in T1D). To address these research aims, a single comprehensive clinical trial will be performed in 44 participants with T1D, who will receive a weekly injection of TZP 2.5mg or placebo for 6 weeks. A short treatment duration was chosen to assess if TZP offers T1D-specific benefits prior to significant weight loss. TIRTLE2 will employ the 'gold standard' hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic and hypoglycemic clamps, in conjunction with complementary analyses of the effects of TZP on metabolism across multiple physiological states. This mechanistic study will define mechanisms by which GLP1-GIP co-agonism may uniquely provide clinical benefits in T1D during the fasting and fed states, and during hypoglycemia.

Interventions

DRUGTirzepatide 2.5mg weekly

Tirzepatide 2.5 mg/0.5 mL solution for injection vial or pre-filled pen. Each vial/ pre-filled pen contains tirzepatide 2.5 mg in 0.5 mL solution (2.5mg in 0.6mL if Kwikpen) Tirzepatide will be administered by drawing up into a syringe, then administering by subcutaneous injection weekly by study nurses.

Placebo will be given as 0.5mL normal saline (if comparator against vial or pre-filled pen), or 0.6mL (if comparator against Mounjaro Kwikpen), drawn up into a syringe and administered by subcutaneous injection weekly by study nurses.

Sponsors

Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Intervention model description

Parallel assignment, 1:1 randomization

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* age 18-65 years * BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2 * HbA1c ≤ 9.0% * insulin delivery using an automated insulin delivery system * at least 2 years since diagnosis of type 1 diabetes

Exclusion criteria

* TZP or GLP-1 receptor agonist in last 3 months; metformin or sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor in the last 6 weeks; steroids, antipsychotics, immunosuppressants in the last 6 weeks. * Hypoglycemic unawareness or severe hypoglycemia last 6 months. * History of seizure disorder. * History of weight loss surgery. * eGFR \<60 mL/min/1.73 m2. * Liver disease (known cirrhosis, LFTs \> 3x upper limit of normal). * Active malignancy. * Pregnant, breastfeeding, planning pregnancy within 6 months, or not using adequate contraception. * History of cardiovascular disease, or coronary event or stroke in last 3 months * Hemoglobin level \< 13.5 g/dL in men, \< 12.0 g/dL in women

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Whole-body insulin sensitivity6 weeksChange in insulin sensitivity from baseline, assessed using the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (60 mU/m2/min)

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
% Time level 2 hyperglycemia6 weeksChange from baseline % time level 1 hyperglycemia (defined by glucose \> 250 mg/dL \[13.9 mmol/L\])) as measured by continuous glucose monitoring
% Time Below Range (TBR)6 weeksChange from baseline %TBR (defined by % readings below 70mg/dL \[3.9mmol/L\]) as measured by continuous glucose monitoring
Prandial glucagon secretion6 weeksChange from baseline glucagon area under the curve (AUC) during mixed meal tolerance test (MMTT)
Glucagon response to hypoglycemia6 weeksChange from baseline glucagon AUC after glucose nadir as measured during the hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic clamp
% Time level 2 hypoglycemia6 weeksChange from baseline % time level 2 hypoglycemia (defined by glucose \< 54 mg/dL \[\<3.0 mmol/L\]) as measured by continuous glucose monitoring
% Time level 1 hypoglycemia6 weeksChange from baseline % time level 1 hypoglycemia (defined by glucose \< 70 mg/dL \[3.9 mmol/L\] and ≥ 54 mg/dL \[3.0 mmol/L\]) as measured by continuous glucose monitoring
Resting energy expenditure (REE)6 weeksChange from baseline REE as measured by indirect calorimetry
% Time level 1 hyperglycemia6 weeksChange from baseline % time level 1 hyperglycemia (defined by glucose \> 180 mg/dL \[10 mmol/L\] and glucose ≤ 250 mg/dL \[13.9 mmol/L\]) as measured by continuous glucose monitoring
Overnight free-fatty acids (FFA) curve6 weeksChange from baseline FFA under the curve (AUC) as measured overnight blood samples
Total daily insulin dose6 weeksChange from baseline total daily insulin dose as measured by pump record
Total daily basal insulin dose6 weeksChange from baseline total daily basal insulin dose as measured by pump record
Total daily bolus insulin dose6 weeksChange from baseline total daily bolus insulin dose as measured by pump record
% Time in Range (TIR)6 weeksChange from baseline %TIR (defined by % readings between 70mg/dL - 180 mg/dL \[3.9 - 10.0 mmol/L\]) as measured by continuous glucose monitoring
Glycemic variability6 weeksChange from glycemic variability as measured by continuous glucose monitoring
Gastric emptying6 weeksChange from baseline gastric emptying during the mixed meal tolerance test (MMTT) assessed using radiolabelled isotope and breath sampling
Overnight growth hormone curve6 weeksChange from baseline growth hormone area under the curve (AUC) as measured overnight blood samples

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Fasting GIP6 weeksChange from baseline fasting GIP as measured by blood assay
Supraclavicular temperature profile6 weeksChange from baseline supraclavicular temperature profile as measured by temperature sensor
Diet composition6 weeksChange from baseline diet composition as measured by self-reported diet diary entries
Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15)6 weeksChange from baseline fasting GDF15 as measured by blood assay
Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction6 weeksChange from baseline diabetes treatment satisfaction, as measured by questionnaire (DTSQ)
Pulse rate6 weeksChange from baseline pulse rate as measured by digital sphygmomanometer
C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen6 weeksChange from baseline C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX) as measured by blood assay
Procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide6 weeksChange from baseline procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) as measured by by blood assay
HbA1c6 weeksChange from baseline HbA1c as measured by blood assay.
Fasting liver function tests6 weeksChange from baseline fasting liver function tests as measured by blood assay
Metanephrine response to hypoglycemia6 weeksChange from baseline peak metanephrine after glucose nadir as measured during the hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic clamp
Normetanephrine response to hypoglycemia6 weeksChange from baseline peak normetanephrine after glucose nadir as measured during the hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic clamp
Growth hormone response to hypoglycemia6 weeksChange from baseline peak growth hormone after glucose nadir as measured during the hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic clamp
Cortisol response to hypoglycemia6 weeksChange from baseline peak cortisol after glucose nadir as measured during the hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic clamp
Glucose requirement to correct hypoglycemia6 weeksChange from baseline glucose infusion requirement after glucose nadir to correct hypoglycemia during the hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic clamp
Body weight6 weeksChange from baseline body weight as measured by scale
% fat free mass6 weeksChange from baseline % fat free mass as measured by air displacement plethysmography
% fat mass6 weeksChange from baseline % fat mass as measured by air displacement plethysmography
Lipid profile6 weeksChange from baseline lipid profile as measured by blood assay
Systolic blood pressure6 weeksChange from baseline systolic blood pressure as measured by digital sphygmomanometer
Diastolic blood pressure6 weeksChange from baseline diastolic blood pressure as measured by digital sphygmomanometer
Arterial stiffness6 weeksChange from baseline arterial stiffness as measured by Augmentation index (AIx) by radial artery tonometry
Prandial GLP1 secretion6 weeksChange from baseline GLP1 area under the curve (AUC) during mixed meal tolerance test (MMTT)
Prandial GIP secretion6 weeksChange from baseline GIP area under the curve (AUC) during mixed meal tolerance test (MMTT)
Fasting glucagon6 weeksChange from baseline fasting glucagon level as measured by blood assay.
Fasting GLP16 weeksChange from baseline fasting GLP1 as measured by blood assay

Countries

Australia

Contacts

Primary ContactJennifer R Snaith, MD PHD
j.snaith@victorchang.edu.au+61 2 9295 8600
Backup ContactJerry R Greenfield, MD PHD
j.greenfield@victorchang.edu.au

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026