A Phase 3 interventional study of Setmelanotide and Placebo in Obesity and Genetic Obesity, sponsored by Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Completed at 56 sites in 10 countries. Open to participants aged 6 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-06.
Sponsored by Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
The protocol describes a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with independent sub-studies of setmelanotide in patients with obesity and at least one of the specific gene variants in the Melanocortin-4 Receptor pathway:
The objectives and endpoints are identical for these sub-studies.
11,522 studies on the registry are indexed under Obesity; 2,033 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 296 is above the median of 67 across 9,006 interventional studies indexed under Obesity.
Browse Obesity studies →Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is the lead sponsor of 29 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.
Of its 19 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 14 (74%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Inclusion Criteria:
Patients must have a pre-identified:
Key Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
A blood test of average blood sugar over the past two to three months, given as a percentage or in mmol/mol. 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or more is the usual threshold for diabetes, normally confirmed by a second test.
A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.
It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraception
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Clinically significant
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HbA1c
A blood test of average blood sugar over the past two to three months, given as a percentage or in mmol/mol. 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or more is the usual threshold for diabetes, normally confirmed by a second test.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Investigational drug or device
A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.
It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hypersensitivity
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Excipients
The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
1:1 Randomization
Drug: Setmelanotide · Drug: Placebo
1:1 Randomization
Drug: Setmelanotide · Drug: Placebo
1:1 Randomization
Drug: Setmelanotide · Drug: Placebo
1:1 Randomization
Drug: Setmelanotide · Drug: Placebo
Subcutaneous Injection
Subcutaneous Injection
Difference in mean change in body weight in patients treated with setmelanotide compared to placebo, assessed as percent change in BMI
Time frame: Baseline to 52 weeks
The proportion of patients who achieve at least 5% reduction in BMI in patients treated with setmelanotide compared to placebo
Time frame: Baseline to 52 weeks
The difference in mean change in body weight in adult patients treated with setmelanotide compared to placebo, assessed as percent change in baseline body weight
Time frame: Baseline to 52 weeks
The difference in mean percent change in the weekly average most hunger score in patients treated with setmelanotide compared to placebo
Time frame: Baseline to 52 weeks
The proportion of patients who achieve at least 10% reduction in BMI in patients treated with setmelanotide compared to placebo
Time frame: Baseline to 52 weeks
Ran from Dec 2021 to primary completion in Dec 2025, 48 months.
Of 198 industry-sponsored phase 3 interventional studies under Obesity, half reached primary completion within 21 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 18 and three quarters within 27. This study's 48 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 261 studies reached it within 24 months; a quarter within 18 and three quarters within 34.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is completed, as verified in Aug 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Studies of the drug tested here: Setmelanotide
Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc. →