A Phase 2 interventional study of Tirzepatide in Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA), sponsored by Johns Hopkins University. Recruiting at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-03.
Sponsored by Johns Hopkins University · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment
The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to learn if tirzepatide can treat active central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), a type of permanent scarring hair loss, in adults. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Participants will:
There is no separate comparison group. Researchers will compare each participant's results during treatment with the participant's results at the beginning of the study.
511 studies on the registry are indexed under Alopecia; 128 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 20 is below the median of 50 across 430 interventional studies indexed under Alopecia.
Browse Alopecia studies →Johns Hopkins University is the lead sponsor of 1,815 studies on the registry; 315 are open to participants now.
Of its 208 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 144 (69%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
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.
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
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.
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.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Biopsy and archival tissue
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
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.
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.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants will self-administer tirzepatide by subcutaneous injection once weekly for 12 months. Tirzepatide will be administered at 2.5 mg once weekly for the first 4 weeks, followed by 5 mg once weekly for the remainder of the study. Participants may use topical corticosteroids as needed for intolerable CCCA-related symptoms, such as scalp pain or itching.
Drug: Tirzepatide
Tirzepatide solution will be self-administered by subcutaneous injection once weekly. Participants will receive 2.5 mg once weekly for the first 4 weeks, followed by 5 mg once weekly for the remainder of the 12-month treatment period. Injection sites will be rotated among the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm.
Also known as: Mounjaro, Zepbound, LY3298176
Change in Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia Clinical Activity Tool Score
Disease activity will be measured using the Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia Clinical Activity Tool (C-CAT). The C-CAT assesses disease progression, scalp pain or tenderness, scalp itching, inflammation, and scalp fibrosis. Total scores range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating greater disease activity. Scores obtained during treatment will be compared with the baseline score.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Change in Scalp Gene-Expression Profiles
Differential messenger RNA expression will be assessed using bulk RNA sequencing of paired scalp biopsies collected at baseline and 6 months of tirzepatide treatment. Differential expression will be defined as at least a two-fold change with an adjusted p-value less than 0.05. Analyses will focus on profibrotic and inflammatory pathways, including transforming growth factor beta, collagens 1, 3, and 6A1, and T-helper 17-related pathways.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 months
Change in Central Hair Loss Grade
Central scalp hair loss will be evaluated by physician raters using standardized clinical photographs and the Central Hair Loss Grade scale. Scores range from 0 to 5, with higher scores indicating more severe central hair loss. Scores obtained during treatment will be compared with the baseline score.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Physician Global Assessment of Change in Hair Loss
Physician raters will compare standardized clinical photographs obtained at months 3 and 6 with baseline photographs. Change in hair loss will be evaluated using a 5-point physician global assessment scale. Score range 0 (None) - 4 (Very severe).
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Plan to share: No — There is no current plan to share individual participant data because of privacy and confidentiality considerations associated with the study's small sample size, clinical scalp photographs, and transcriptomic data. Study findings may be reported in aggregate in scientific presentations and publications.
Started Sep 2026 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for May 2028, 20 months after the start.
Of 41 phase 2 interventional studies under Alopecia, half reached primary completion within 13 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 9 and three quarters within 24. This study's planned 20 months is above that.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Studies of the drug tested here: Tirzepatide