Minnesota Clinical Trials Report — July 2026

Minnesota residents considering a clinical trial should begin with studies nearing enrollment deadlines: 110 recruiting trials are expected to close within the next 90 days. Thirteen of those studies accept healthy volunteers, creating a limited window for people without a diagnosed condition. Screening can take time, so prospective participants should contact study teams soon and confirm that enrollment remains open.

Minnesota has 2,071 recruiting trials across 70 cities and 721 research sites. The state added 17 new trials in July, down from 30 in May and 30 in June. The recent decline follows a six-month pattern that peaked at 44 new trials in April before falling to 17 in July. Although fewer studies opened this month, several new Phase 2 and Phase 3 opportunities involve major sponsors and serious conditions.

Closing-soon studies require action now

The largest groups of trials approaching closure involve endometrial cancer, obesity, and prostate cancer, with 3 studies each. Spinal cord injuries, metastatic pancreatic cancer, solid tumors, hypertension, chronic pain, healthy participants, and Hodgkin lymphoma each account for 2 closing-soon trials.

• Endometrial cancer, obesity, and prostate cancer — 3 trials each
• Spinal cord injuries and metastatic pancreatic cancer — 2 each
• Solid tumors, hypertension, chronic pain, healthy participants, and Hodgkin lymphoma — 2 each

Healthy volunteers have 13 closing-soon opportunities among the 110 studies nearing their projected end dates. Across Minnesota overall, 232 trials are recruiting healthy volunteers, but only 1 of the 17 new July trials accepts healthy participants. That contrast makes the closing-soon group especially relevant to adults who want to participate in research without seeking treatment for a specific illness.

Patients with cancer, obesity, chronic pain, hypertension, or spinal cord injuries should also act promptly. A study’s projected closing date can change, and eligibility review, medical-record collection, and screening appointments may require several weeks.

July brings fewer openings but several major drug studies

The month’s 17 new trials cover a broad range of conditions, including cancer, chronic low back pain, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, cystic fibrosis, dietary intake, emergency care, and genetic diseases. Cancer, chronic low back pain, COPD, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, cystic fibrosis, dietary intake, emergency care, genetic diseases, and CT each appear in 1 new trial category.

Drug studies led the month with 8 new trials. Other interventions accounted for 4, procedures for 3, and behavioral, biological, and device studies for 1 each. This gives patients options beyond medication, although drug research remains the dominant form of new activity.

• NCT07680790 — A Bristol-Myers Squibb Phase 3 study of izalontamab brengitecan with osimertinib versus osimertinib alone or with platinum-based chemotherapy for previously untreated, locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer. The study plans to enroll 850 participants.
• NCT07735637 — AstraZeneca’s Phase 3 DURGA-6 study compares AZD0120 with autologous stem-cell transplantation as consolidation treatment for newly diagnosed, transplant-eligible multiple myeloma. Planned enrollment is 750.
• NCT07684820 — Expedition Therapeutics’ Phase 2 COPD trial evaluates two doses of EXPD-101/FXS7553 against placebo over 52 weeks in 600 participants.
• NCT07723469 — A Phase 3 SURGE Therapeutics study evaluates intraoperative SRG-514, whose active ingredient is ketorolac, with standard care during breast-conserving surgery for stage II-III triple-negative breast cancer. It plans to enroll 400 participants.
• NCT07708961 — Mayo Clinic’s Phase 2 glioblastoma study compares temozolomide with or without WSD0922-FU in patients with EGFR-mutant, IDH-wildtype disease. The trial plans to enroll 60 participants.

Other notable openings include NCT07696338, the REACT trial examining early airway-clearance therapies in cystic fibrosis, and NCT07678775, a Phase 3 open-label extension of BBP-418, or ribitol, for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2I/R9. The international DRAGON registry, NCT07717437, will collect information and medical images from patients with primarily unresectable liver cancer or liver metastases who underwent combined portal and hepatic vein embolization before resection.

Rochester and the Twin Cities anchor statewide access

New trial activity is concentrated in Minnesota’s best-known medical and academic centers. Rochester led July’s openings with 9 new trials, followed by Minneapolis with 6. Edina, Mankato, Maplewood, and Saint Paul each recorded 1 new trial.

• Rochester — 9 new trials
• Minneapolis — 6
• Edina, Mankato, Maplewood, and Saint Paul — 1 each

The pattern shows a strong concentration in Rochester and the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area, while Mankato adds a southern Minnesota option. Mayo Clinic sponsored 6 of the new trials, and the University of Minnesota sponsored 2. Other named sponsors include Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, Expedition Therapeutics, the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, Maastricht University Medical Center, Gila Therapeutics, and ML Bio Solutions.

Eleven new studies fall into the “other” sponsor category, while 6 are industry-sponsored. People outside the major hubs may need to ask whether screening can begin remotely or whether travel support is available, particularly when a trial has only one Minnesota location.

Families and older adults may find relevant opportunities

3 of the new trials include children, and 16 include older adults. No new July study is listed as female-only or male-only. The eligibility profile means that parents, older adults, and patients with age-related or chronic conditions should review new listings carefully rather than assuming opportunities are limited to younger adults.

Healthy volunteers have fewer new options this month, with only 1 of the 17 openings accepting them. The broader pool of 232 recruiting healthy-volunteer studies remains much larger, but the 13 closing soon deserve immediate attention. Healthy adults should search by location and availability, since some studies may require repeated visits or specialized testing.

For July, the most time-sensitive choices are clear: patients matching the closing-soon conditions, healthy adults considering research participation, and people who live near Rochester or the Twin Cities should start eligibility checks now. Minnesota’s trial pipeline may continue to slow in August, when the six-month trend shows 9 new openings projected, making current listings and upcoming deadlines particularly important to monitor.