Real-World Effects of MC4R Agonist Therapy in BBS and Severe Genetic Obesity
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Setmelanotide.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Bardet Biedl Syndrome (BBS), Bardet Biedl Syndrome, Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS), Alstrom Syndrome. Basic parameters: No limits · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Germany
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
Real-World Effectiveness, Safety and Patient-reported Outcomes of Setmelanotide in Patients With Bardet-Biedl Syndrome: A Prospective Mono Centric Observational Interventional Study
Overview
Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) and other rare disorders associated with impairment of the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) pathway are characterized by severe early-onset obesity, hyperphagia, and substantial morbidity. Setmelanotide, an MC4R agonist, is approved in Europe for selected genetic obesity disorders and reimbursed in Germany for eligible patients. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness, safety, treatment persistence, metabolic outcomes, and patient-reported outcomes of Setmelanotide under real-world conditions. The registry is designed to allow future inclusion of additional MC4R agonists as they become approved and clinically available. The study will primarily be conducted at University Hospital Essen and will collect longitudinal routine clinical data from pediatric and adult patients receiving MC4R agonist therapy according to approved indications.
Detailed description
The MC4R signaling pathway is a key regulator of appetite and energy balance. Genetic defects affecting this pathway lead to severe obesity syndromes including Bardet-Biedl syndrome and other rare monogenic obesity disorders. Although pivotal clinical trials demonstrated efficacy of Setmelanotide, evidence from routine clinical care remains limited. This study seeks to characterize treatment outcomes in everyday clinical practice, including changes in body weight, BMI, hyperphagia, metabolic parameters, quality of life, treatment adherence, and adverse events. Patients receiving approved MC4R agonist therapy will be followed prospectively. Data will be collected during routine outpatient visits and include anthropometric, clinical, laboratory, and patient-reported measures. The study infrastructure is intended to serve as a platform for future MC4R agonists approved for severe genetic obesity disorders.
Interventions
- Drug Setmelanotide
Administration according to approved product labeling and treating physician discretion
Primary outcome measures
- Percent change in BMI z-score [Time frame: Baseline to 12/24/36/48/60/72 months]
- Impact on lipid profile [Time frame: Baseline to 12/24/36/48/60/72 months]
- Change in Hepatic Fat Attenuation [Time frame: Baseline to 12/24/36/48/60/72 months]
Secondary outcome measures (5)
- Life quality [Time frame: Baseline to 12/24/36/48/60/72 months]
- Safety and Tolerability [Time frame: Baseline to 12/24/36/48/60/72 months]
- Cognitive changes [Time frame: Baseline to 12/24/36/48/60/72 months]
- Functional brain connectivity [Time frame: Baseline to 12/24/36/48/60/72 months]
- Changes on hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis [Time frame: Baseline to 12/24/36/48/60/72 months]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- clinical phenotype corresponding to Bardet-Biedl Syndrome
- genetic testing with notable finding
Exclusion criteria
- patients younger than the age approved for treatment with setmelanotide
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- N/A
- Model
- Single group
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Germany · 1 center
- University Hospital Essen, Deparment of Pediatrics II — Essen
Publications
- Collet TH, Dubern B, Mokrosinski J, Connors H, Keogh JM, Mendes de Oliveira E, Henning E, Poitou-Bernert C, Oppert JM, Tounian P, Marchelli F, Alili R, Le Beyec J, Pepin D, Lacorte JM, Gottesdiener A, Bounds R, Sharma S, Folster C, Henderson B, O'Rahilly S, Stoner E, Gottesdiener K, Panaro BL, Cone RD, Clement K, Farooqi IS, Van der Ploeg LHT. Evaluation of a melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) agonist PMID 29031731
- Kamermans A, Verhoeven T, van Het Hof B, Koning JJ, Borghuis L, Witte M, van Horssen J, de Vries HE, Rijnsburger M. Setmelanotide, a Novel, Selective Melanocortin Receptor-4 Agonist Exerts Anti-inflammatory Actions in Astrocytes and Promotes an Anti-inflammatory Macrophage Phenotype. Front Immunol. 2019 Oct 4;10:2312. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02312. eCollection 2019. PMID 31636637
- Talbi R, Stincic TL, Ferrari K, Ji Hae C, Walec K, Medve E, Gerutshang A, Leon S, McCarthy EA, Ronnekleiv OK, Kelly MJ, Navarro VM. POMC neurons control fertility through differential signaling of MC4R in kisspeptin neurons. Elife. 2025 Jul 17;13:RP100722. doi: 10.7554/eLife.100722. PMID 40674128
- Forsythe E, Haws RM, Argente J, Beales P, Martos-Moreno GA, Dollfus H, Chirila C, Gnanasakthy A, Buckley BC, Mallya UG, Clement K, Haqq AM. Quality of life improvements following one year of setmelanotide in children and adult patients with Bardet-Biedl syndrome: phase 3 trial results. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2023 Jan 16;18(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s13023-022-02602-4. PMID 36647077
- Haqq AM, Chung WK, Dollfus H, Haws RM, Martos-Moreno GA, Poitou C, Yanovski JA, Mittleman RS, Yuan G, Forsythe E, Clement K, Argente J. Efficacy and safety of setmelanotide, a melanocortin-4 receptor agonist, in patients with Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Alstrom syndrome: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial with an open-label period. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. PMID 36356613
- Sweeney P, Gimenez LE, Hernandez CC, Cone RD. Targeting the central melanocortin system for the treatment of metabolic disorders. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2023 Sep;19(9):507-519. doi: 10.1038/s41574-023-00855-y. Epub 2023 Jun 26. PMID 37365323
- Barnett S, Reilly S, Carr L, Ojo I, Beales PL, Charman T. Behavioural phenotype of Bardet-Biedl syndrome. J Med Genet. 2002 Dec;39(12):e76. doi: 10.1136/jmg.39.12.e76. No abstract available. PMID 12471214
- Cetiner M, Finkelberg I, Schiepek F, Pape L, Hirtz R, Buscher AK. Ultrasound evaluation of kidney and liver involvement in Bardet-Biedl syndrome. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2024 Nov 12;19(1):425. doi: 10.1186/s13023-024-03400-w. PMID 39533427
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07674290 · UME-BBS-RWD-001