Disease × agent evidence record

Acetazolamide for Obesity: evidence, trials and status

Acetazolamide has both completed registered trials and synthesis-level publications linked to Obesity. That is the strongest profile in this database, but the summaries here do not extract effect sizes, so read the linked reviews for direction and magnitude of benefit.

4 registered trials 0 recruiting 13 publications Evidence tier A · Strong Score 61.0
Research Tracker › Pairs › Obesity › Acetazolamide
Research map, not treatment advice. This page aggregates registry and literature records. It does not evaluate efficacy, dosing or safety for any individual. Discuss any treatment decision with a qualified clinician.

Summary

Acetazolamide has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Obesity would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Obesity. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 4 registered trials linking Acetazolamide to Obesity: 3 have completed; 1 is terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 3 (NCT01499485). The largest enrolment is 165 participants (NCT01003639). Registration activity spans 2010 to 2024. The literature layer holds 13 publications for this pair: 3 Cochrane reviews, 2 meta-analyses, 3 systematic reviews and 5 clinical trial publications. Publication years run from 1998 to 2026. Because at least one synthesis-level source exists (systematic review, meta-analysis or Cochrane review), this pair has been assessed beyond single studies, although the synthesis may concern a different indication.

The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Obesity ranks 368 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Sustained weight loss of >5% without intervention: ~5-10% at 2 years; weight regain almost universal after behavioural intervention alone (95% return to within 5% of starting weight at 5 years on lifestyle alone).

Open in Repurposing ExplorerObesity hubObesity biomarkers & interventions

Evidence table

Evidence tierA · Strong
Evidence score61.0 (trials 11.0, literature 30.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0)
Registered trials4 total: 0 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 3 completed, 1 other
Linked publications13 (5 clinical trial publications, 3 Cochrane reviews, 3 systematic reviews, 2 meta-analyses)
Agent typeDrug (Small molecule)
Development stage (any indication)Approved
Mechanism / classinhibitor; inhibitor
Data sourcesDGIdb
Linked via biomarker / targetCA4
How the evidence score is calculated
  • Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
  • Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
  • The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
  • Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
  • The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.

Registered clinical trials

NCT IDTitleStatusPhaseEnrolment
NCT01499485Treatment of Metabolic Alkalosis With Acetazolamide. Effect on the Length of Mechanical Ventilation.
2011
completedPhase 3140
NCT06110078Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors and Carbonation: A Novel Approach to Reduce Soda Consumption
2024
status unknownEarly Phase 144
NCT01146288Effect of Acetazolamide and Furosemide on Obesity-induced Glomerular Hyperfiltration
2010
completedNot applicable13
NCT01003639Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Treatment Trial
2010
completedPHASE2, PHASE3165

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Published literature

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Mechanism and notes

Recorded mechanism or class: inhibitor; inhibitor.

OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target CA4. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.

Frequently asked questions

Is Acetazolamide approved for Obesity?

Acetazolamide has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Obesity would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Obesity. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.

Is Acetazolamide in clinical trials for Obesity?

ClinicalTrials.gov lists 4 registered trials linking Acetazolamide to Obesity: 3 have completed; 1 is terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 3 (NCT01499485). The largest enrolment is 165 participants (NCT01003639). Registration activity spans 2010 to 2024.

What does the evidence show for Acetazolamide in Obesity?

Acetazolamide has both completed registered trials and synthesis-level publications linked to Obesity. That is the strongest profile in this database, but the summaries here do not extract effect sizes, so read the linked reviews for direction and magnitude of benefit. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target CA4. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.

Cite this page

Open Source Medicine Foundation. Acetazolamide for Obesity: evidence, trials and status. OSMF Research Tracker. Updated 2026-07-05. https://research.opensourcemed.info/pairs/obesity/acetazolamide.html

Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-05. Page built 2026-10-07.

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This is a research map, not treatment advice. Evidence tiers and scores summarise what has been studied, not whether a treatment works or is safe for you.