Durham, NC Clinical Trials Report — May 2026

For individuals in Durham, NC, seeking to participate in clinical research, May 2026 brings a mix of urgent opportunities and new avenues to contribute to medical science. With 939 clinical trials currently recruiting across 231 research facilities in the city, Durham remains a vibrant hub for medical innovation.

Act Now: Trials Nearing Enrollment Deadlines

Time is of the essence for those considering participation, as 61 clinical trials in Durham are slated to conclude enrollment within the next 90 days. This includes opportunities for healthy volunteers, with 13 of these rapidly closing studies still actively seeking participants without specific health conditions. These trials offer a chance to contribute to medical advancements before their enrollment windows close.

Patients managing specific health conditions also have limited time to join research. Trials focused on various conditions are among those with impending deadlines for enrollment. Conditions with trials closing soon include:

• Heart failure (2 trials)
• Dementia (2 trials)
• Lung cancer (2 trials)
• Metastatic cancer (2 trials)
• ALS-frontotemporal dementia (1 trial)
• Amputation, traumatic/surgery (1 trial)
• Advanced cancer (1 trial)
• Astrocytoma (1 trial)
• Advanced solid tumor (1 trial)
• Astrocytoma, IDH-mutant (1 trial)

New Research Opportunities in Durham

This month, Durham saw the opening of 12 new clinical trials, a slight increase from the 10 trials that launched in April 2026. This continues a steady trend, with 12 new trials also opening in March 2026. These new studies bring fresh opportunities to engage with cutting-edge treatments and diagnostic approaches across various health challenges.

Several notable new trials have opened their doors, including significant Phase 2 studies from major sponsors and academic institutions:

• The Duchenne Registry is sponsoring NCT07609394, "Duchenne Electronic Health Record Study." This study aims to collect long-term data from 2,500 participants with dystrophinopathy (including Duchenne, Becker, and female carriers) through electronic health record transfer.
• AstraZeneca is initiating NCT07608354, "A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Concomitant Use of Eplontersen and ALXN2220 Compared With Eplontersen and Placebo for Adults Participants With ATTR-CM." This Phase 2 trial involves 326 participants and evaluates a new combination therapy for Transthyretin-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM).
• Stanford University is behind NCT07601295, "Tiprelestat Versus Placebo When Added to Standard of Care for the Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)." This Phase 2 study with 90 participants compares tiprelestat plus standard of care to placebo for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
• Duke University is sponsoring NCT07603375, "Upfront Chemotherapy With Radiation Therapy (CRT) Followed by Chemotherapy in Localized Esophageal Adenocarcinoma." This Phase 2 trial, involving 60 participants, investigates if adding consolidative chemotherapy can better control local recurrence and metastasis in esophageal adenocarcinoma.
• The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, is leading NCT07588568, "A Trial of Upadacitinib for Non-responsive Eosinophilic Esophagitis." This Phase 2 study with 52 participants aims to determine if upadacitinib can help treat Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE).
• Wake Forest University Health Sciences is sponsoring NCT07560826, "The CATSINDO Trial - Clinical and Translational Study in Newly Diagnosed Osteosarcoma." This Phase 2 study with 46 participants explores whether children, adolescents, and young adults with newly diagnosed high-grade osteosarcoma can be safely discharged from the hospital at slightly higher methotrexate blood levels.

New trials this month are exploring a range of conditions, including ampicillin, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Becker muscular dystrophy, high blood pressure, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), dystrophinopathy, dystrophinopathy symptomatic female carrier, early onset sepsis, EoE, and eosinophilic esophagitis. Drug trials account for the largest share of new studies, with 7 new drug trials, followed by 4 other types of studies, and 1 each for behavioral, biological, and diagnostic test trials.

Opportunities for Healthy Volunteers

For individuals without a specific medical condition, there are opportunities to contribute to research. While 0 of the 12 new trials launched this month are actively seeking healthy volunteers, a total of 98 clinical trials are currently recruiting healthy participants across Durham. These studies provide numerous avenues for those interested in supporting medical research.

Durham's Leading Research Facilities

Durham is home to world-renowned research institutions, which consistently run a high volume of clinical trials. These facilities are key destinations for individuals seeking to participate in medical research:

• Duke University Medical Center (260 trials)
• Duke University (166 trials)
• Duke University Hospital (51 trials)
• Duke University Health System (38 trials)
• Duke Cancer Institute (38 trials)
• Duke Cancer Center (28 trials)
• Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC (24 trials)
• Research Site (21 trials)
• Durham VA Medical Center (19 trials)
• Duke Eye Center (13 trials)
• Duke University Eye Center (11 trials)
• Duke University School of Medicine (11 trials)

These institutions, predominantly affiliated with Duke University and the Durham VA Medical Center, offer a broad spectrum of research, from oncology and eye care to general medical studies.

Broadening Your Search: Nearby Options

While Durham offers a vast array of clinical trial opportunities, individuals may also find options in nearby communities within North Carolina. Cities with active trials include Chapel Hill (14 trials), Winston-Salem (5 trials), Charlotte (4 trials), Wilmington (4 trials), Raleigh (4 trials), Greensboro (4 trials), Monroe (3 trials), and Morehead City (3 trials).

Participation in clinical trials is open to a diverse range of individuals. Of the 12 new trials launched this month, 9 include older adults, ensuring that senior populations have ample opportunity to contribute to medical science. Additionally, 4 new trials include children, and 1 is female-only. Academic institutions continue to play a vital role in Durham's research ecosystem, with Duke University sponsoring 5 of the new studies, followed by Hospices Civils de Lyon, Stanford University, The Duchenne Registry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Vivek Bhalla, AstraZeneca, and Wake Forest University Health Sciences each sponsoring 1 new trial. Academic and other non-industry sponsors account for 11 of the new trials, with 1 new trial from an industry sponsor.

As we move through May, Durham's robust research community will continue to drive medical innovation, offering diverse opportunities for individuals to contribute to the future of healthcare.