Illinois Clinical Trials Report — July 2026

Illinois residents considering a clinical trial should act now if they match a study nearing enrollment closure: 150 trials are expected to close within the next 90 days, including 32 that accept healthy volunteers. Screening can take time, and projected closing dates may change, so people who find a potential match should contact the study team promptly.

At the same time, Illinois remains a major research market, with 2,650 recruiting trials across 154 cities and 1,593 research sites. Researchers opened 52 new trials in July, down from 57 in May. Healthy adults have 15 new-trial opportunities this month, and 317 healthy-volunteer studies are recruiting statewide overall.

Closing-soon studies span cancer, neurology, and cardiovascular conditions

The most prominent closing-soon opportunities are distributed across several disease areas rather than one single condition. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, and stroke each account for 3 trials approaching closure. Major depressive disorder, ischemic stroke, knee osteoarthritis, endometrial cancer, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy each appear in 2 closing-soon trials.

• Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, and stroke — 3 trials each
• Major depressive disorder, ischemic stroke, knee osteoarthritis, endometrial cancer, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy — 2 each
• Healthy-volunteer opportunities — 32 closing-soon trials

Patients should check whether a trial is still screening before arranging travel or medical records. People with cancer, neurological disease, stroke history, high blood pressure, depression, joint pain, or Duchenne muscular dystrophy may have particularly time-sensitive options this month. Healthy volunteers should also move quickly because the number of available spots can change as screening proceeds.

July brings obesity research, vaccine development, and new healthy-adult studies

New-trial activity was led by healthy volunteer and weight-related categories. Healthy volunteer, healthy adult, overweight, and obesity each appeared in 2 new trials. Multiple sclerosis also had 2 new studies, while preterm research added 2. Other new areas include atopic dermatitis, anorexia nervosa, Alzheimer’s disease, and bipolar disorder with psychotic features.

Drug studies were the largest group, with 21 new trials. Other study types accounted for 11, followed by behavioral studies (8), devices (6), biological interventions (4), combination products (2), radiation (1), dietary supplements (1), and procedures (1). This gives prospective participants choices ranging from experimental medicines to behavioral programs, diagnostic devices, and other forms of research.

• Healthy volunteer, healthy adult, overweight, and obesity — 2 new trials each
• Multiple sclerosis and preterm research — 2 each
• Atopic dermatitis, anorexia nervosa, Alzheimer’s disease, and bipolar disorder with psychotic features — 1 each

Several large Phase 2 and Phase 3 studies from major sponsors stand out. Amgen’s Phase 3 extension study NCT07684235 plans to enroll 3,200 participants with obesity or overweight. It is evaluating the long-term efficacy, safety, and tolerability of maridebart cafraglutide and extends an earlier study, NCT06858839.

• NCT07684235 — Amgen’s Phase 3 MARITIME-1-EXTENSION study of maridebart cafraglutide for people with obesity or overweight; planned enrollment is 3,200.
• NCT07734649 — Sanofi’s Phase 1/2 RSV and human metapneumovirus vaccine study for adults age 60 and older; planned enrollment is 2,400.
• NCT07691970 — AstraZeneca’s Phase 3 rollover study providing continued access to anifrolumab, also known as Saphnelo, for eligible participants who benefited from a previous study; planned enrollment is 1,072.
• NCT07720271 — Novo Nordisk’s Phase 3 AMAZE 9 study testing once-daily zenagamtide tablets for excess body weight; planned enrollment is 950.
• NCT07720284 — AstraZeneca’s Phase 3 study comparing Dato-DXd plus rilvegostomig with standard care after surgery for high-risk muscle-invasive urothelial cancer.
• NCT07680790 — Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Phase 3 IZABRIGHT-Lung02 study evaluating izalontamab brengitecan combinations for previously untreated EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer; planned enrollment is 850.

Other new studies may appeal to healthy adults or people interested in diagnostics and tobacco research. NCT07710820, sponsored by RAI Services Company, examines whether access to a heated tobacco product affects cigarette abstinence and reduction among current adult cigarette smokers. NCT07701161, sponsored by Neurogen Biomarking LLC, compares blood p-tau217 collected through the Tasso Lancet device with standard venipuncture in people with and without Alzheimer’s disease.

Chicago dominates new activity, with additional options across northeastern Illinois

Chicago accounted for 39 of Illinois’s 52 new trials, making it the clear center of July’s activity. Grayslake, Gurnee, Evanston, and Skokie each added 2 new trials. Merrionette Park, Normal, Northfield, Oak Lawn, and Ottawa each recorded 1.

• Chicago — 39 new trials
• Grayslake, Gurnee, Evanston, and Skokie — 2 each
• Merrionette Park, Normal, Northfield, Oak Lawn, and Ottawa — 1 each

The geographic pattern is strongly metropolitan, especially around Chicago and nearby communities in the northeastern part of the state. However, the statewide total of 154 recruiting cities shows that research is not limited to downtown Chicago. Residents should search by city and travel radius, since a trial with a large national enrollment may have only one or a few Illinois locations.

Universities and industry sponsors both shape the July pipeline

Academic institutions led the list of named sponsors. Northwestern University and the University of Illinois at Chicago each opened 6 new trials, followed by the University of Chicago with 4. AstraZeneca sponsored 5, AbbVie sponsored 3, and Endeavor Health, Milap Sandhu, and Rush University Medical Center each sponsored 2.

Across sponsor categories, 27 new trials were classified as other, 24 as industry-sponsored, and 1 as a network study. The mix reflects Illinois’s combination of university hospitals, academic research centers, and large pharmaceutical programs.

Healthy volunteers, families, and older adults have reasons to search now

Fifteen of July’s 52 new trials accept healthy volunteers, including studies specifically listing healthy volunteer or healthy adult populations. With 317 healthy-volunteer trials recruiting statewide and 32 closing within 90 days, people without a diagnosed condition should review both newly opened and time-sensitive opportunities.

Families may find options among 10 new trials that include children. One new study is female-only and another is male-only. Older adults are included in 44 new-trial eligibility criteria, including Sanofi’s vaccine study for people age 60 and older. People should verify age ranges, health requirements, visit schedules, compensation, and transportation support directly with each research team.

Illinois’s trial landscape is likely to keep shifting through the remainder of 2026. Patients and healthy volunteers who identify a suitable study should begin the screening process soon, particularly when the study is listed among the 150 trials approaching closure.