Charleston, SC Clinical Trials Report — July 2026

Charleston participants should act quickly on studies nearing enrollment deadlines: 37 recruiting trials are expected to close within the next 90 days, including 4 that accept healthy volunteers. Charleston has 649 recruiting trials across 195 research facilities, so people who find a potential match should contact the study team soon rather than waiting for the projected closing date.

July brought 10 new trials, down from 14 in June and 14 in May. The city’s overall research activity remains broad, spanning cancer, neurology, cystic fibrosis, weight management, Parkinson disease, and other conditions.

Closing-soon opportunities in Charleston

Conditions with the largest number of trials approaching closure include depression, cancer, and stroke. Other closing studies involve substance use, pain, inflammatory disease, and prostate cancer.

• Depression (4 trials)
• Cancer (3 trials)
• Stroke (3 trials)
• Cannabis use (2 trials)
• Substance use disorders (2 trials)
• Pain (2 trials)
• Atopic dermatitis (2 trials)
• Lupus nephritis (2 trials)
• Prostate cancer (2 trials)
• Cannabis use disorder, mild (1 trial)

Only 4 of these closing-soon studies accept healthy volunteers. Healthy participants still have 58 recruiting trials to consider across Charleston overall, but none of July’s new studies currently accepts healthy volunteers. People without a diagnosed condition may therefore find more options by searching the city’s existing studies rather than focusing only on this month’s openings.

Major new studies include Phase 2 and Phase 3 drug trials

Five of July’s new studies are classified as drug trials, with two combination-product studies, two device studies, and two studies in other categories. The new-trial mix is mostly academic or nonprofit-led: 8 are categorized as other-sponsored studies and 2 as industry-sponsored. Medical University of South Carolina sponsors 5 of the new openings.

• NCT07691970 is AstraZeneca’s Phase 3 rollover study for participants who completed an earlier study of anifrolumab, or Saphnelo, and continued to benefit from treatment. The study plans to enroll 1,072 participants and is designed to provide continued access while monitoring safety and tolerability.
• NCT07720271 is Novo Nordisk A/S’s Phase 3 AMAZE 9 study of once-daily zenagamtide tablets for people with excess body weight. It plans to enroll 950 participants and compares zenagamtide with placebo.
• NCT07720167 is a MUSC-sponsored Phase 2 study of cemiplimab combined with platinum-doublet chemotherapy for people with clinical stage I, resectable, non-small cell lung cancer involving tumors between 2 and 3.9 centimeters. Planned enrollment is 38 participants.
• NCT07689773 is MUSC’s Phase 2 SCENT open-label study for olfactory impairment. It evaluates non-invasive trigeminal nerve stimulation combined with standard smell training to improve olfactory function. The study plans to enroll 60 participants.
• NCT07696338, the REACT trial, examines early airway-clearance therapies for people with cystic fibrosis. Its two randomized studies evaluate hypertonic saline and dornase alfa and together plan to enroll 405 participants.
• NCT07685977 is Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s ARTEMIS study of robotic bronchoscopy, rapid onsite evaluation, and next-generation sequencing for minimally invasive diagnosis. The multicenter trial plans to enroll 400 participants.

Other July openings address aphasia, Broca’s aphasia, mild cognitive impairment, ovarian cancer, obesity, overweight, and Parkinson disease. The condition list shows opportunities for both patients with specific diagnoses and people seeking research related to cognition, movement, or weight management.

Charleston’s busiest research facilities

The Medical University of South Carolina is the dominant research hub in the city. One MUSC listing accounts for 362 trials, while additional MUSC listings represent substantial activity across affiliated locations and programs. The Ralph H. Johnson VA system is another major access point, particularly for veterans and studies involving conditions common in older adults.

• Medical University of South Carolina (362 trials)
• Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) (29 trials)
• Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC (19 trials)
• Research Site (15 trials)
• Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center (11 trials)
• Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System (6 trials)
• Hollings Cancer Center (6 trials)
• MUSC (5 trials)
• MUSC Hollings Cancer Center (5 trials)
• Medical University of South Carolina Hollings Cancer Center (5 trials)
• Bon Secours Saint Francis Hospital (4 trials)
• Medical University of South Carolina University Hospital (4 trials)

People considering cancer research should begin with Hollings Cancer Center and its MUSC-affiliated listings. Veterans may find the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center and related VA listings especially relevant. Because facilities may appear under slightly different names, searching both the parent institution and affiliated center can reveal more local studies.

Eligibility and participation choices

Eight of July’s new trials include older adults, while 2 include children. One is female-only, and none is male-only. These categories describe the new openings; individual studies may also have detailed requirements involving diagnosis, disease stage, medications, prior treatment, age, travel, or testing.

People with depression, stroke, cancer, pain, lupus nephritis, atopic dermatitis, prostate cancer, or substance-use conditions should review closing-soon listings first. Healthy volunteers should search the 58 currently recruiting Charleston studies that accept them, with particular attention to screening requirements and time commitments.

Other South Carolina locations to consider

Participants able to travel can broaden their search beyond Charleston. Recruiting trials are also listed in Myrtle Beach (3), North Charleston (2), and Orangeburg, Simpsonville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Walhalla, and Columbia (1 each). North Charleston may offer the most convenient nearby alternative, while Columbia and other inland locations could provide additional options for specialized studies.

With the July pipeline shifting toward August and several Charleston studies approaching closure, local research teams are likely to see continued movement in eligibility and enrollment. Checking listings regularly and contacting facilities early will give interested participants the best chance to enter a suitable study before recruitment changes.