GLP-1 Drugs Enter Formal Testing for Long COVID Treatment
Scripps Research has launched a large, fully remote clinical trial to test whether the GLP-1/GIP medication tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Zepbound) can reduce long COVID symptoms. The LoCITT-T Trial (“locket”) is a randomized, placebo-controlled study enrolling 1,000 adults across the U.S., with no travel required.
Early interest is high: more than 500 participants enrolled in the first two weeks.
GLP-1 drugs gained attention after clinicians began noticing improvements in fatigue, brain fog, MCAS symptoms, and POTS-related symptoms among patients prescribed these medications for unrelated reasons.
One clinician-reported dataset (including 350 long COVID patients) found 60–90% experienced some improvement, prompting researchers to test the approach formally.
The Scripps trial focuses on fatigue as its primary outcome, using the validated Fatigue Severity Scale. Secondary measures include cognitive issues, post-exertional malaise, MCAS symptoms, autonomic symptoms, functional capacity, and full symptom profiles. Participants also receive a Garmin wearable to track sleep, heart rate, step count, and energy metrics.
Because many people with long COVID cannot safely travel, the study is completely decentralized: surveys, dose adjustments, safety checks, and optional at-home blood collection are done from home.
Participants begin at standard FDA-approved tirzepatide doses, with physicians monitoring tolerance and safety. Microdosing will require separate future trials. Each participant takes part for one year, with a planned interim safety and efficacy review at three months.
If enrollment stays on pace, final results could be available in 2027.
The team emphasizes urgency and accessibility. As principal investigator, Dr. Julia Moore-Vogel, who also lives with long COVID, explains: “Let’s do everything we can to meet the patient where they are.”