Pennington Biomedical Recruiting Participants for Study on Weight Loss Using GLP-1-Based Therapy

June 15, 2026 · Baton Rouge, LA

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Led by LSU Boyd Professor Dr. Eric Ravussin, the Novo Expenditure trial examines a hormone-based investigational treatment and its effects on energy use and weight loss

Pennington Biomedical Research Center is recruiting participants for a clinical trial evaluating how a study drug for weight loss influences metabolism (the process by which food is used to supply energy for the body) compared to a diet. Dr. Eric Ravussin, LSU Boyd Professor and director of the Human Translational Physiology Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical, is currently leading the study.

The study, NOVO EXPENDITURE, is evaluating the efficacy of a new study drug compared to a reduced-calorie diet. The treatment could influence the process by which food is used to supply energy for the body and helps people reduce excess body weight.

“This clinical trial explores the potential of a new treatment on the leading edge of metabolic health and weight-loss science,” Dr. Ravussin said. “Our clinical trials welcome participants to not only contribute to scientific discoveries but also potentially benefit from them. From better heart health to better sleep quality, weight loss is known to improve a wide range of health outcomes, and when applicants qualify for our studies, they are opening the door to greater clarity about their health profile and the potential benefits from investigational treatments.”

Clinical trials are a key component of treatment development and medical advances. Through a wide variety of clinical trials, all trial participants play a role in moving scientific discovery forward and contributing to the advancement of treatments for those with illness or disease. In addition to financial compensation, participants can receive greater insights into their own health profiles through a variety of examinations and measurements provided by the attentive staff of the Clinical Trials Unit.

The NOVO EXPENDITURE study is open to those who are 18–65 years old and who have a BMI of 30 or higher. Additional criteria must be met to participate, with qualifications discussed prior to enrolling in the study.

The study, which lasts 1.5 years, is split into two components, with participants either receiving trial drug or being assigned to a weight-loss diet in the first component, and all participants receiving the trial drug in the second component. Participants will be required to spend three nights in the inpatient unit three different times throughout the study, including 47 hours in a metabolic chamber. Participants will be asked to wear an activity tracker and will be asked to weigh themselves daily using a provided scale. The study includes MRI, DXA scans, and optional muscle and fat tissue biopsies.

For more information on NOVO EXPENDITURE or other trials at Pennington Biomedical, visit http://www.pbrc.edu/NOVOEXPENDITURE.