Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder)Phase 2NCT07282769
Semaglutide (Wegovy) Treatment for Trichotillomania
A Phase 2 study testing Semaglutide in people with Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder) and Trichotillomania, run by University of Chicago.
Trial summary
This research study is testing the effectiveness and safety of semaglutide (Wegovy) in people with trichotillomania, also known as hair-pulling disorder. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 75 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder), Trichotillomania, Hair Pulling Disorder
- What is being tested?
- Semaglutide
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 10 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- Jun 2026to Feb 2027
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 75 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Men and women age 18-75;
- Diagnosis of current trichotillomania based on DSM-5 criteria and confirmed using the clinician-administered MIDI (13);
- Hair pulling daily with urges to pull as the trigger in >50% of the episodes of pulling;
- Women of childbearing age are required to have a negative result on a beta-human chorionic gonadotropin pregnancy test;
- Women of childbearing potential utilizing a medically accepted form of contraception defined as double barrier, oral contraceptive, injectable contraceptive, implantable contraceptive devices, and abstinence
Who cannot join
- Infrequent pulling (i.e. less than daily) or automatic pulling (i.e. no urges to pull);
- Unstable medical illness or clinically significant abnormalities on laboratory tests, EKG, or physical examination at screen as determined by the investigator;
- History of seizures;
- Myocardial infarction within 6 months;
- Current pregnancy or lactation, or inadequate contraception in women of childbearing potential;
- A need for medication other than semaglutide with possible psychotropic effects or unfavorable interactions as determined by the investigator;
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- Clinically significant suicidality (defined by the Columbia Suicide-Severity Rating Scale);
- Lifetime history of bipolar disorder type I or II, schizophrenia, or any psychotic disorder;
- Current skin picking disorder;
- Initiation of psychotherapy or behavior therapy within 3 months prior to study baseline;
- Initiation of psychotropic medications within 3 months prior to study baseline (stable doses will be allowed);
- Previous treatment with semaglutide;
- Use of any weight loss medications;
- Body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) less than 23;
- Past-year substance use disorder other than tobacco use disorder or mild cannabis use disorder;
- Recent (30-day) use of illicit drugs except cannabis;
- History of diabetes, and current medical or neurological illness precluding participation based on physician judgment;
- Personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia 2A or 2B;
- History of pancreatitis.
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Once Weekly Semaglutide Treatment of Trichotillomania: An Open-Label Study
This research study is testing the effectiveness and safety of semaglutide (Wegovy) in people with trichotillomania, also known as hair-pulling disorder.
Read the detailed description
The goal of the proposed study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of semaglutide in individuals with trichotillomania. The hypothesis to be tested is that semaglutide will reduce urges to pull hair and pulling behavior and will be well tolerated in participants with trichotillomania. The proposed study will provide needed pilot data on the treatment of a disabling disorder that currently lacks available options for pharmacological treatment.
The investigators will conduct an open-label pharmacotherapy trial in 10 individuals with trichotillomania. Participants with trichotillomania will be started and continued on medication during an 8-week treatment phase. The study will be the first to use a once weekly Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist pharmacological intervention to target urges in trichotillomania and thereby has the potential to set a new standard of care for a range of compulsive behaviors.
- Conditions
- Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder), Trichotillomania, Hair Pulling Disorder, Hair Pulling, Hair-Pulling Disorder
- Being tested
- Semaglutide
- Keywords
- trichotillomania, hair pulling
- Medical subject headings
- Trichotillomania
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
SemaglutideDrug
Also called Wegovy
All participants in the study will receive semaglutide (Wegovy).
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide (Wegovy) | Experimental | Participants will receive semaglutide (Wegovy) weekly for 8 weeks. Receives: Drug: Semaglutide |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
NIMH Trichotillomania Severity Scale
Clinician-rated scale assessing trichotillomania symptom severity over the past week that will be administered at all visits. Total scores range from 0-20. Higher scores indicate greater severity.
Measured: From screening to 1 week after last dose of study drug
Secondary outcomes (2)
Clinical Global Impression-Improvement and Severity Scales
Clinician-administered scale consisting of two reliable and valid 7-item Likert scales used to assess severity and change in clinical symptoms. The CGI-S will be used at screening and the CGI-I will be used at every visit after screening. the CGI-S ranges from 1 = "not ill at all" to 7 = "among the most extremely ill." The CGI-I scale ranges from 1 = "very much improved" to 7 = "very much worse."
Measured: From screening to 1 week after last dose of study drug
Massachusetts General Hospital Hair Pulling Scale
A 7-item self-report measure assessing trichotillomania severity over the past week. Total scores range from 0-28. Greater scores indicate worse symptoms.
Measured: From screening to 1 week after last dose of study drug
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Dec 2025
- Study startJun 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionFeb 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionFeb 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of ChicagoThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 10 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Chicago
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Jon E Grant, MD, JD, MPH, Principal investigator, University of Chicago
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07282769
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB25-1571
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 5 Dec 2025
- Last updated
- 10 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 10 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Once Weekly Semaglutide Treatment of Trichotillomania: An Open-Label Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07282769
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB25-1571
- Conditions
- Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder), Trichotillomania, Hair Pulling Disorder, Hair Pulling, Hair-Pulling Disorder
- Keywords
- trichotillomania, hair pulling
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 10 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of ChicagoUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Jun 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Feb 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Feb 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 15 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This research study is testing the effectiveness and safety of semaglutide (Wegovy) in people with trichotillomania, also known as hair-pulling disorder.
Detailed description
The goal of the proposed study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of semaglutide in individuals with trichotillomania. The hypothesis to be tested is that semaglutide will reduce urges to pull hair and pulling behavior and will be well tolerated in participants with trichotillomania. The proposed study will provide needed pilot data on the treatment of a disabling disorder that currently lacks available options for pharmacological treatment.
The investigators will conduct an open-label pharmacotherapy trial in 10 individuals with trichotillomania. Participants with trichotillomania will be started and continued on medication during an 8-week treatment phase. The study will be the first to use a once weekly Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist pharmacological intervention to target urges in trichotillomania and thereby has the potential to set a new standard of care for a range of compulsive behaviors.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide (Wegovy) | Experimental | Drug: SemaglutideParticipants will receive semaglutide (Wegovy) weekly for 8 weeks. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 75 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Men and women age 18-75;
- Diagnosis of current trichotillomania based on DSM-5 criteria and confirmed using the clinician-administered MIDI (13);
- Hair pulling daily with urges to pull as the trigger in >50% of the episodes of pulling;
- Women of childbearing age are required to have a negative result on a beta-human chorionic gonadotropin pregnancy test;
- Women of childbearing potential utilizing a medically accepted form of contraception defined as double barrier, oral contraceptive, injectable contraceptive, implantable contraceptive devices, and abstinence
Key exclusion criteria (19 listed)
- Infrequent pulling (i.e. less than daily) or automatic pulling (i.e. no urges to pull);
- Unstable medical illness or clinically significant abnormalities on laboratory tests, EKG, or physical examination at screen as determined by the investigator;
- History of seizures;
- Myocardial infarction within 6 months;
- Current pregnancy or lactation, or inadequate contraception in women of childbearing potential;
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| SemaglutideAlso: WegovyAll participants in the study will receive semaglutide (Wegovy). | Drug | Semaglutide (Wegovy) |
Primary outcome
NIMH Trichotillomania Severity Scale
Time frame: From screening to 1 week after last dose of study drug
Clinician-rated scale assessing trichotillomania symptom severity over the past week that will be administered at all visits. Total scores range from 0-20. Higher scores indicate greater severity.
2 secondary outcomes
Clinical Global Impression-Improvement and Severity Scales
Time frame: From screening to 1 week after last dose of study drug
Massachusetts General Hospital Hair Pulling Scale
Time frame: From screening to 1 week after last dose of study drug
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 10 Jun 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Jon E Grant, MD, JD, MPH principal investigator
University of Chicago
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 2 study testing Semaglutide in people with Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder) and Trichotillomania, run by University of Chicago.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 19 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Sofia Vicenzino, BA (773-702-9066, sofia.vicenzino@bsd.uchicago.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
NIMH Trichotillomania Severity Scale (time frame: From screening to 1 week after last dose of study drug). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Jun 2026.