Summary
Nicotine 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 ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered trials linking Nicotine to Obesity: 7 have completed; 1 is terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. None of the registered studies carries a drug-development phase label, which is typical for behavioural, device and supplement protocols. It plans or enrolled 2540 participants. Registration activity spans 2008 to 2022. The literature layer holds 16 publications for this pair: 5 Cochrane reviews, 4 meta-analyses, 2 systematic reviews and 5 clinical trial publications. Publication years run from 2020 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).
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 68.5 (trials 18.5, literature 30.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 8 total: 0 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 7 completed, 1 other |
| Linked publications | 16 (5 Cochrane reviews, 5 clinical trial publications, 4 meta-analyses, 2 systematic reviews) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | Open Targets, ChEMBL |
| Linked via biomarker / target | ADCY3 |
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trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5).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 ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT05136430 | A Multiple Health Behavior Change Intervention for Overweight and Obese Smokers 2021 | completed | Not applicable | 55 |
| NCT00841334 | Adolescents Committed to Nutrition and Physical Activity 2008 | completed | Not applicable | 145 |
| NCT05241353 | Project THRIVE: Evaluating Different Approaches to Dietary Self-Monitoring for Weight Loss 2022 | completed | Not applicable | 46 |
| NCT01867983 | Comparative Effectiveness of Adding Weight Control to Smoking Cessation Quitlines 2013 | completed | Not applicable | 2,540 |
| NCT02502383 | ACTION PAC: Adolescents Committed to Improvement of Nutrition & Physical Activity 2014 | completed | Not applicable | 991 |
| NCT04332029 | Smoking Cessation Treatment for Smokers With Obesity 2020 | completed | Not applicable | 120 |
| NCT03036696 | The BEACH Interview Study- Pregnant and Breastfeeding Mothers 2017 | completed | Not applicable | 59 |
| NCT04474509 | ACTyourCHANGE Study Protocol. Promoting Healthy Lifestyle With ACT for Obesity 2021 | status unknown | Not applicable | 90 |
Published literature
- Clinical trial publication P-15 Peptide Enhanced Bone Graft Improves Time to Fusion in Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Randomized, Controlled, Investigational Device Exemption StudyHarrop JS, Steinmetz MP, O'Toole JE et al. · Spine · 2026 · PMID 41307110
- Cochrane review Assessment of the Potential of GLP-1 Analogs in the Treatment of Addictions: A Literature ReviewNoemi Torres I, Barroso Alverde MJ · Substance use & addiction journal · 2026 · PMID 40765170
- Meta-analysis Inhibitory control training and unhealthy behaviours: a meta-analysis testing short and long- term effects in clinical and at-risk populationsDi Rosa E, Ronconi L, Del Carlo B et al. · Scientific reports · 2026 · PMID 41792425
- Meta-analysis Genetic risk factors for pneumonia differ by patient subgroupHeikkilä A, Sliz E, Väyrynen S et al. · EBioMedicine · 2026 · PMID 41579494
- Systematic review Behavior Change Techniques in Digital Health Interventions for Promoting Adolescent Health Behaviors: Systematic Umbrella ReviewBoumparis N, de Riedmatten P, Champion K et al. · JMIR mental health · 2026 · PMID 42099076
- Clinical trial publication Effect of Daily Avocado Intake on Cardiovascular Health Assessed by Life's Essential 8: An Ancillary Study of HAT, a Randomized Controlled TrialDamani JJ, Kris-Etherton PM, Lichtenstein AH et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · 2025 · PMID 39968784
- Clinical trial publication Exploring Predictors of Treatment Response to GLP-1 Receptor Agonists for Smoking CessationYammine L, de Dios C, Suchting R et al. · Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco · 2025 · PMID 39780397
- Cochrane review The potential role of GLP-1 receptor agonists in substance use disorders - a systematic reviewVölker KM, Prechtl BLH, Bormann NL et al. · Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025 · PMID 41552827
- Cochrane review Emerging cardiovascular risk factors in childhood and adolescence: a narrative reviewDe Blas-Zapata A, Sastre-Albiach JM, Baixauli-López L et al. · European journal of pediatrics · 2025 · PMID 40229626
- Meta-analysis Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors according to Life's Essential 8 in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis including 1 526 173 participants from 42 countriesNúñez-Cortés R, López-Bueno R, Torres-Castro R et al. · Pediatric obesity · 2025 · PMID 39611250
- Clinical trial publication Body weight change during a smoking cessation intervention for individuals with overweight or obesityKrotter A, García-Pérez Á, Aonso-Diego G et al. · Eating behaviors · 2024 · PMID 38723487
- Cochrane review Global prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors based on the Life's Essential 8 score: an overview of systematic reviews and meta-analysisLópez-Bueno R, Núñez-Cortés R, Calatayud J et al. · Cardiovascular research · 2024 · PMID 38033266
- Clinical trial publication Effect of a Tobacco Cessation Intervention Incorporating Weight Management for Adults With Serious Mental Illness: A Randomized Clinical TrialDaumit GL, Evins AE, Cather C et al. · JAMA psychiatry · 2023 · PMID 37378972
- Meta-analysis Causal effects from tobacco smoking initiation on obesity-related traits: a Mendelian randomization studyPark S, Kim SG, Lee S et al. · International journal of obesity (2005) · 2023 · PMID 37634025
- Systematic review Reducing craving and consumption in individuals with drug addiction, obesity or overeating through neuromodulation intervention: a systematic review and meta-analysis of its follow-up effectsSong S, Zilverstand A, Gui W et al. · Addiction (Abingdon, England) · 2022 · PMID 34514666
- Cochrane review [Smoking and Breastfeeding - CNGOF-SFT Expert Report and Guidelines on the management for Smoking Management During Pregnancy]Le Lous M, Torchin H · Gynecologie, obstetrique, fertilite & senologie · 2020 · PMID 32247096
Mechanism and notes
No mechanism of action is recorded for this pair in the source databases.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ADCY3. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nicotine approved for Obesity?
Nicotine 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 Nicotine in clinical trials for Obesity?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered trials linking Nicotine to Obesity: 7 have completed; 1 is terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. None of the registered studies carries a drug-development phase label, which is typical for behavioural, device and supplement protocols. It plans or enrolled 2540 participants. Registration activity spans 2008 to 2022.
What does the evidence show for Nicotine in Obesity?
Nicotine 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 Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ADCY3. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-05. Page built 2026-10-07.