North Dakota Clinical Trials Report — June 2026

For North Dakotans considering participation in clinical research, June 2026 presents a mix of urgent deadlines and promising new opportunities. While the state currently hosts 218 actively recruiting clinical trials across 8 cities and 91 research sites, a critical window is closing for several studies.

Act Now: Trials Nearing Conclusion

Time is running out to enroll in 6 clinical trials that are slated to close within the next 90 days. This includes one study that is actively seeking healthy volunteers, offering a chance to contribute to medical science without a specific health condition. Individuals living with certain health conditions should also act quickly to explore trials with impending deadlines. Conditions with trials closing soon include various forms of cancer and other serious conditions:

• Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD)
• Lung cancer (diagnosis)
• Metastatic small intestinal adenocarcinoma
• Multiple myeloma
• Nonsegmental vitiligo
• Peritoneal malignant mesothelioma
• Stage III small intestinal adenocarcinoma AJCC V8
• Stage IIIA small intestinal adenocarcinoma AJCC V8
• Stage IIIB small intestinal adenocarcinoma AJCC V8
• Stage IV small intestinal adenocarcinoma AJCC V8

New Horizons: Major Drug Trials Launch in Fargo

This month, North Dakota welcomes 6 new clinical trials, a positive increase from the 5 trials that opened in May 2026. All of these new studies are drug trials and are concentrated exclusively in Fargo, bringing significant research opportunities to the state's largest city. Notably, these include several Phase 2 and Phase 3 studies from major pharmaceutical sponsors, focusing on widespread health challenges like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and chronic pain.

• Novo Nordisk A/S is sponsoring NCT07668414, a pivotal Phase 3 study titled "A Research Study Investigating How Well the Medicine Zenagamtide Helps People With Excess Body Weight Lose Weight Compared to Semaglutide." This substantial trial aims to enroll 650 participants globally to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of zenagamtide for treating excess body weight.
• Another significant study for weight management is NCT07662122, "A Study to Test Whether BI 3034701 Helps People to Lose Weight Who Live With Obesity or Overweight." Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, this Phase 2 trial is open to adults between 18 and 74 years of age with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more, or a BMI of 27 kg/m2 or more with at least one weight-related health problem. It seeks 300 participants.
• For individuals with type 2 diabetes, Novo Nordisk A/S is also leading NCT07668388, a Phase 2 study titled "A Research Study Comparing How Well Different Doses of the Medicine UBT251 Lower Blood Sugar in People With Type 2 Diabetes." This trial will enroll 300 participants to assess the effectiveness and safety of UBT251, comparing it to UBT251 placebo, semaglutide, or semaglutide placebo.
• Eli Lilly and Company is contributing to chronic pain research with two new Phase 2 studies, both part of their "Chronic Pain Master Protocol (CPMP)." NCT07641504, "A Study of LY4065967 in Participants With Chronic Low Back Pain," aims for 150 participants to test the safety and efficacy of the study drug for chronic low back pain.
• The second Eli Lilly and Company trial, NCT07641517, "A Study of LY4065967 in Participants With Osteoarthritis Pain," also seeks 150 participants to investigate the study drug for knee pain due to osteoarthritis. These trials are designed to accelerate the development of new treatments for chronic pain.

Expanding Research for Common Conditions

The 6 new trials opening this month primarily address conditions that impact a significant portion of the population. The most common conditions targeted by these new studies include:

• Chronic pain (2 trials)
• Obesity (2 trials)
• Overweight (2 trials)
• Dry eye syndrome (DES) / Dry eye disease (DED) (1 trial)
• Low back pain (1 trial)
• Osteoarthritis, knee (1 trial)
• Diabetes mellitus, type 2 (1 trial)

All new trials this month are focused on drug interventions, reflecting a strong emphasis on developing new pharmaceutical treatments for these conditions.

Fargo: A Hub for New Clinical Research

North Dakota's clinical research landscape is robust, with 218 trials currently recruiting across 8 cities and 91 research sites statewide. This month, all 6 new research initiatives are concentrated in Fargo. This makes Fargo a central hub for individuals seeking to participate in cutting-edge clinical trials, particularly in the areas of metabolic health and chronic pain management.

Participation Opportunities for Older Adults

For individuals without a specific medical condition, opportunities to contribute to medical science are available. While none of the new trials launched this month are specifically seeking healthy volunteers, a total of 18 clinical trials statewide are currently recruiting healthy participants. This provides numerous avenues for those interested in supporting medical research without having a particular health condition.

Clinical trials in North Dakota are designed to be inclusive, with broad eligibility criteria. Of the new trials, all 6 include older adults as participants, ensuring that research benefits this demographic. Industry sponsors are driving the majority of new research efforts, with 5 of the new trials sponsored by major pharmaceutical companies such as Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk A/S, and Boehringer Ingelheim. One additional trial is sponsored by Vance Thompson Vision, categorized as 'OTHER' in sponsor type.

As we move through June, the focus will remain on the ongoing enrollment in these significant Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials and the exploration of new treatments for widespread health challenges across North Dakota.