LA JOLLA, CA—Scientists at the Scripps Research Translational Institute invite people with long COVID across the U.S. to join a remote clinical trial that is testing whether an existing FDA-approved therapy, tirzepatide, can provide relief from long COVID symptoms.
The Long COVID Treatment Trial (LoCITT, pronounced ‘lock-it’) is a novel research platform funded by the Schmidt Initiative for Long Covid (SILC) as part of its grant to support the tirzepatide trial. LoCITT is dedicated to accelerating discoveries for the complex, multisystem condition which has affected the lives of more than 400 million people worldwide. There are currently no FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of long COVID.
Tirzepatide, a GIP/GLP-1 dual receptor agonist, is currently approved for type 2 diabetes, overweight and obesity, and obstructive sleep apnea. The initial trial will explore whether the drug’s anti-inflammatory effects can improve symptoms in people with long COVID.
LoCITT’s remote clinical trial technology will allow for swift screening, enrollment and randomization of patients. Drugs and placebos will be mailed directly to the participant’s home, and participants will also use wearable devices and smart scales so scientists can track real-time health changes and measure the drug’s impact on symptoms.
“We’re seeing GLP-1 drugs show tremendous promise across a wide range of conditions, including improving markers of body-wide and brain inflammation, which is common in long COVID,” says Eric Topol, executive vice president of Scripps Research and co-principal investigator of LoCITT. “Given the urgency of finding an effective treatment for long COVID, it’s critical that we test the most promising agent—tirzepatide is at the top of our list.”
Long COVID is marked by a wide range of symptoms that develop and continue months and even years after an acute COVID-19 infection. It can affect multiple organ systems, including respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, musculoskeletal and immunological, with the constellation of more than 200 possible symptoms varying from person to person and commonly including debilitating fatigue. How long COVID presents in patients—and the lack of a biomarker to effectively detect it—adds to the difficulty in diagnosing and treating the condition.
“Drug repurposing represents the fastest potential path to treatment for long COVID,” says John Redd, CEO of SILC. “Combining that with safety monitoring, at-home clinical trial participation makes this a particularly promising trial and a model for future studies of complex diseases.”
Scripps Research scientists seek to enroll 1,000 trial participants from across the U.S. in a fully remote, randomized control trial to study the effect of tirzepatide on long COVID over the course of one year. Participants will use the MyDataHelps app to check their eligibility, provide consent, complete surveys, order research materials and receive compensation for participating in the study. Participants will be randomized into an intervention arm of individuals who will receive tirzepatide or a control arm of those who will receive a placebo. All participants will also receive a Garmin fitness tracker and smart scale so physiological data can be shared, and both devices may be kept after the study is complete. Fifty participants will be selected as part of an at-home blood sampling cohort for exploratory biomarker analysis and clinical testing. The LoCITT study team will be available to answer questions and provide support via email, phone and video visits.
“There is an urgent need for validated treatments for long COVID,” says Julia Moore Vogel, co-principal investigator of LoCITT. “For many individuals who are housebound or bedbound, traveling to a clinic is harmful or impossible, which is why we have designed this study to be accessible from home. Our approach seeks to lower barriers for participation in recognition of the meaningful contributions people with long COVID make through their time and energy.”
LoCITT is open to individuals 18 years of age or older, who live in the U.S., have medical documentation of long COVID and meet other inclusion criteria. The platform will be used to test additional interventions in the near future. For more details regarding LoCITT, including how to participate in this or subsequent trials, please visit https://longcovid.scripps.edu/.
The study team will host a webinar on November 5, 2025, 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET to provide an overview of the trial and participant journey. Registration is required.
In addition to Scripps Research and SILC, LoCITT collaborator organizations include CareEvolution, Adachi-Odai Solutions, Garmin, YourBio Health, Infinity Bio Inc. and Olink. Eli Lilly and Company is providing the study medicine.
Scripps Research performs scientific investigation and drug discovery only. We cannot provide medical advice.
About Scripps Research
Scripps Research is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institute ranked one of the most influential in the world for its impact on innovation by Nature Index. We are advancing human health through profound discoveries that address pressing medical concerns around the globe. Our drug discovery and development division, Calibr-Skaggs, works hand-in-hand with scientists across disciplines to bring new medicines to patients as quickly and efficiently as possible, while teams at Scripps Research Translational Institute harness genomics, digital medicine and cutting-edge informatics to understand individual health and render more effective healthcare. Scripps Research also trains the next generation of leading scientists at our Skaggs Graduate School, consistently named among the top 10 U.S. programs for chemistry and biological sciences. Learn more at www.scripps.edu.
About the Schmidt Initiative for Long Covid
The Schmidt Initiative for Long Covid (SILC) advances clinical care for Long Covid patients globally. The nonprofit organization, founded in 2023 by philanthropists Eric and Wendy Schmidt, works to raise the level of Long Covid care and understanding around the world, connecting specialists and primary care providers to support patients and share knowledge virtually, in real time. For more information, visit silc.org.
Contact:
Scripps Research: press@scripps.edu
SILC: spandey@silc.org