Rhode Island Clinical Trials Report — July 2026

Rhode Island residents who may qualify for a clinical trial should act promptly: 28 recruiting studies are expected to close within the next 90 days. Six of those trials accept healthy volunteers, creating a limited window for people without a diagnosed condition. Screening can take time, and projected closing dates may change, so prospective participants should contact study teams soon.

The state has 487 trials recruiting across 14 cities and 195 research sites. July brought 11 new studies, up from 7 in May and the strongest monthly opening count since February in the available six-month trend.

Closing studies span mental health, cancer, and chronic disease

The trials nearing closure cover a varied set of conditions rather than one dominant disease area. People seeking research opportunities should pay particular attention if they are affected by acute stress, advanced solid tumors, alcohol use disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, atopic dermatitis, or autoimmune disease.

• Acute stress reaction — 1 closing-soon trial
• Advanced solid tumor — 1
• Aggression — 1
• Psychomotor agitation — 1
• Alcohol use disorder and alcohol use disorder (AUD) — 2 combined
• Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer disease — 2 combined
• Atopic dermatitis — 1
• Autoimmune diseases — 1

Six of the 28 closing-soon studies accept healthy volunteers, but the available data do not specify how many healthy-volunteer places remain in each study. Healthy adults should therefore verify eligibility and enrollment directly rather than waiting for a later search. The broader statewide pool includes 58 recruiting studies that accept healthy volunteers.

Novo Nordisk brings a major Phase 3 weight-management study

The most prominent new drug trial is Novo Nordisk A/S’s Phase 3 AMAZE 9 study, NCT07720271. It plans to enroll 950 people with excess body weight and is evaluating once-daily zenagamtide tablets. Participants will receive either zenagamtide or placebo, allowing researchers to assess the treatment’s safety and effectiveness for weight loss.

This is Rhode Island’s clearest new example of a large, late-stage industry-sponsored drug study in July. The month’s new-trial activity otherwise leans heavily toward behavioral and institution-led research: 8 new studies are behavioral, 2 are drug trials, and 1 is a combination product. Eight studies are classified as “other,” two are federally sponsored, and one is industry-sponsored.

• NCT07720271 — Novo Nordisk’s Phase 3 AMAZE 9 study of oral zenagamtide versus placebo for people with excess body weight; planned enrollment of 950.
• NCT07714252 — VA Office of Research and Development study of a virtual nurse and social worker palliative-care team for Veterans with heart failure or COPD; planned enrollment of 420.
• NCT07738445 — VA Office of Research and Development Phase 2 retreat-based program for violence-exposed women Veterans; planned enrollment of 48.
• NCT07688070 — Rhode Island Hospital Phase 2 study of verapamil in adolescents and adults with cystic fibrosis and abnormal glucose tolerance or early cystic-fibrosis-related diabetes; planned enrollment of 30.

The VA palliative-care study addresses symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, depression, and anxiety among Veterans living with heart failure or COPD. The violence-exposure study focuses specifically on women Veterans and will assess feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness. The Rhode Island Hospital trial is notable for combining a local academic medical center with a focused population of people with cystic fibrosis and early glucose problems.

July’s new conditions include glucose disorders, substance use, and lung disease

The 11 new trials opened this month across a broad mix of medical and behavioral topics. No single condition dominates, with one new study in each of the reported categories.

• Abnormal glucose tolerance
• Alcohol use disorder
• Cannabis use
• Concussion
• Cystic fibrosis
• Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes
• Delinquency
• Heart failure
• HIV
• Interstitial lung disease

That range gives potential participants several routes into research. People with heart failure, HIV, interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis, concussion, or substance-use concerns may find condition-specific options, while behavioral studies may be relevant to people interested in alcohol, cannabis, delinquency, or violence-related research. Eligibility, treatment assignment, and visit requirements vary considerably by study.

Providence dominates the map

New research activity is concentrated in Providence. The city accounts for 10 of the 11 studies opened in July, while Cumberland has 1. This makes Rhode Island’s new-trial landscape highly metropolitan and especially centered on the Providence-area medical and academic network.

The statewide totals are broader than the July opening pattern: 487 trials are recruiting through 195 sites in 14 cities. Residents outside Providence may still find active studies within a practical driving distance, but they should check the individual site location rather than relying on the overall trial count. A study with hundreds of participants nationally may have only one Rhode Island site.

Children, women Veterans, and older adults have targeted options

Families should review the eligibility details carefully because 5 of July’s new trials include children. The cystic-fibrosis-related dysglycemia study is specifically relevant to adolescents and adults. Two new studies are female-only, and none are male-only. Older adults are included in 7 new-trial eligibility profiles, expanding opportunities for people who meet age-related criteria.

Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital each opened 3 new trials. The VA Office of Research and Development opened 2, while Lifespan, Novo Nordisk A/S, and the University of Rhode Island each sponsored 1. This combination of local universities, hospitals, the federal Veterans Health Administration, and a major pharmaceutical company gives July’s roster both community-based and large-scale research options.

People with a qualifying condition should begin with the studies closing within 90 days, especially if they live near Providence or Cumberland. Healthy adults should search the 58 statewide opportunities while also checking the six closing-soon studies that accept them. Rhode Island’s trial pipeline may shift again as the summer progresses, with new behavioral, Veterans-focused, metabolic, and respiratory studies potentially adding options beyond the current Providence-centered group.