Nashville, TN Clinical Trials Report — May 2026

For Nashville residents considering clinical trial participation, May 2026 brings a mix of urgent opportunities and exciting new research avenues. A significant number of local trials are nearing their enrollment deadlines, requiring prompt action for interested individuals.

A total of 72 clinical trials in Nashville are slated to conclude within the next 90 days. This urgency is particularly relevant for healthy volunteers, as 8 of these rapidly closing studies are still actively seeking participants without specific health conditions. These trials offer a chance to contribute to medical advancements before their enrollment windows close.

Impending Deadlines for Key Health Areas

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

• Advanced solid tumor (3 trials)
• Breast cancer (3 trials)
• Non-small cell lung cancer (2 trials)
• Long Covid (2 trials)
• Metastatic cancer (2 trials)
• Acute kidney injury (2 trials)
• Colorectal cancer (2 trials)
• Advanced breast cancer (2 trials)
• HIV infections (2 trials)

New Research Opportunities Emerge

This month, Nashville saw the opening of 20 new clinical trials, a slight increase from the 19 trials that launched in April 2026. This brings the total number of actively recruiting clinical trials in Nashville, TN, to 1,263 across 434 research facilities, highlighting the city's robust research landscape.

May brings several high-profile new trials to Nashville, including significant Phase 2 and 3 studies from major sponsors. These trials offer participants the chance to engage with cutting-edge treatments and diagnostic approaches across a range of health challenges.

• Novo Nordisk A/S is initiating a notable Phase 3 study, NCT07564414, "A Research Study to Look at How Two Different Doses of CagriSema and One Dose of Semaglutide Help People Living With Obesity With or Without Type 2 Diabetes Lose Weight." This trial aims for 2,500 participants to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of CagriSema for body weight loss in individuals with obesity, with or without type 2 diabetes.
• AstraZeneca is sponsoring NCT07611110, "AZD2265 Compared With Standard of Care in PSMA-positive Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer (VECTRA-01)," a Phase 3 study involving 670 participants. The study intends to demonstrate the superiority of AZD2265 relative to standard of care treatments by assessing radiographic progression-free survival and overall survival in participants with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.
• Immuneering Corporation is leading NCT07562152, "Atebimetinib + GnP as a First Line Treatment in Patients With Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma," a Phase 3 trial with 510 participants. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of atebimetinib in combination with modified GnP compared with standard of care GnP alone.
• Eli Lilly and Company is sponsoring NCT07589608, "A Study to Investigate Weight Management With Macupatide and Eloralintide, Alone or in Combination, in Adult Participants With Obesity or Overweight," a Phase 2 study with 400 participants. This study aims to examine the body weight-lowering efficacy and safety of macupatide plus eloralintide compared with placebo in participants with obesity or overweight and without type 2 diabetes.
• Sitala Bio LTD is behind NCT07606365, "A Study in Adults With Geographic Atrophy," a Phase 2 study with 300 participants. The purpose of this clinical research study is to look at how safe STL303 is and whether it works when given to people with Geographic Atrophy secondary to Age-related Macular Degeneration.
• A behavioral trial, NCT07584252, "The Healing and Empowerment Actions for Recovery From Trauma (HEART) Trial," sponsored by Stephanie Di Stasi, is also recruiting 804 participants. This trial aims to determine if wrap-around psychosocial support for patients who sustain moderate to severe trauma requiring orthopedic surgery intervention improves outcomes.

New trials this month are exploring a range of conditions, with the most frequent being locally advanced (unresectable) or metastatic solid tumors (2 trials) and obesity (2 trials). Other conditions include advanced solid cancer, allergy, alpha-gal syndrome, chin augmentation, chronic pelvic pain, dry eye, endometriosis, and geographic atrophy. Drug trials account for the largest share of new studies, with 14 new drug trials, followed by 2 behavioral trials and 2 device trials.

Academic institutions and industry sponsors are both driving significant research efforts. Vanderbilt University Medical Center is sponsoring 4 new trials, while industry leaders like Novo Nordisk A/S and NEOK Bio, Inc. are each sponsoring 2 new trials. Overall, 12 new trials are industry-sponsored, with 1 sponsored by NIH (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases).

Opportunities for Healthy Volunteers

For individuals without a specific medical condition, there are significant opportunities to contribute to research. Of the 20 new trials launched this month, 2 are actively seeking healthy volunteers. Across Nashville, a total of 73 clinical trials are currently recruiting healthy participants, providing numerous avenues for those interested in supporting medical research.

Nashville's Leading Research Facilities

Nashville is home to some of Tennessee's leading research institutions, which consistently run a high volume of clinical trials. These facilities are key destinations for individuals seeking to participate in medical research:

• Vanderbilt University Medical Center (313 trials)
• SCRI Oncology Partners (105 trials)
• Vanderbilt University/Ingram Cancer Center (95 trials)
• Sarah Cannon Research Institute (63 trials)
• Tennessee Oncology (53 trials)
• Vanderbilt University (51 trials)
• Research Site (46 trials)
• Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (39 trials)
• The Children's Hospital at TriStar Centennial (27 trials)
• Vanderbilt Breast Center at One Hundred Oaks (15 trials)
• Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt (14 trials)
• Tennessee Oncology, PLLC (14 trials)

These institutions, particularly those affiliated with Vanderbilt University, offer a broad spectrum of research, from oncology at the Ingram Cancer Center and Sarah Cannon Research Institute, to pediatric care at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Broadening Your Search: Nearby Options

While Nashville offers a vast array of clinical trial opportunities, individuals may also find options in nearby communities within Tennessee. Cities with active trials include:

• Memphis (7 trials)
• Jackson (3 trials)
• Knoxville (2 trials)
• Germantown (1 trial)
• Greeneville (1 trial)
• Kingsport (1 trial)
• Bristol (1 trial)
• Morristown (1 trial)

Nashville, however, remains the leading hub for clinical research in the state, with significantly more trials than any other city.

Participation in clinical trials is open to a diverse range of individuals. Of the 20 new trials launched this month, 16 include older adults, ensuring that senior populations have ample opportunity to contribute to medical science. Additionally, 2 new trials include children, 1 is female-only, and 2 are male-only. These demographic considerations ensure that research benefits a wide cross-section of the population.

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