CHARLOTTE, NC
Overactive Thyroid and Graves Disease Clinical Trials
2 Graves disease studies are enrolling near Charlotte NC, in Statesville and Hickory. Both test a new kind of drug aimed at the antibody causing it, not just the gland. Free lab work and no insurance needed. Compensation is provided for eligible participants.
2
Enrolling Near You
40
Miles to Statesville
+/- $100
Per Visit
New here? Read how this page works
First, Charlotte is unusually well placed on this one, with two studies inside an hour. Also, both test the same broad new idea. So here is how to work through them.
- Start with the two nearby ones. Because Statesville and Hickory are both a comfortable drive.
- Check what you take now. Notably, one needs you off levothyroxine or T3 for 6 weeks first.
- Check your eyes. In fact, active thyroid eye disease rules you out of most of these, and we say so on each card.
- Finally, tap Check eligibility. Then we check you against both at once and tell you when a new one opens here.
Of course, checking never signs you up for anything. You are only seeing where you might fit.
Graves Disease Studies Nearest to Charlotte
Two are within an hour. Notably, this is the first real wave of new Graves drugs in about eighty years.
Enrolling within an hour of Charlotte
Statesville is about 40 miles up I-77 and Hickory is about 58 miles northwest. Notably, in both you keep taking your usual antithyroid medicine.
A Shot That Clears the Antibody Causing It
Biohaven / Drug
In Graves disease your immune system makes an antibody that jams your thyroid switch on. This drug grabs that antibody and sends it to be broken down, so your levels can settle without pills.
Est. $400 or so, but the visit count is not published
Check eligibility →More details
Why researchers are excited: this is one of the first late stage trials ever run in Graves aimed at the antibody itself rather than the gland.
Who this study is looking for
- Adults 18 to 70
- Also, A blood test confirms Graves disease
- Besides that, your thyroid is overactive right now because of it
- Finally, you do not need urgent thyroid surgery or radioactive iodine
Probably not a fit if: you have had thyroid surgery or radioactive iodine already, or you took levothyroxine or T3 in the past 6 weeks, or you have eye disease that needs treatment during the study.
- Placebo group: Yes, half get a dummy shot. However, your usual antithyroid medicine keeps going the whole time.
- How long: The main result is at week 26, so about 6 months.
- Clinic visits: At least 4 named, at the start and at weeks 6 and 26. But two measures track how long things take, which needs frequent blood draws in between. So the real number is higher and is not published.
- Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
- Most invasive part: A shot under the skin plus repeated blood draws.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: Research Site, Statesville NC 28625.
- Drive from Charlotte: Statesville is about 40 miles north, so roughly 45 minutes straight up I-77.
- Worth knowing: the 6 week washout from levothyroxine catches people out. So if you are on block and replace, meaning both drugs together, you would have to come off the replacement first.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
Lowering the Antibody When Pills Are Not Enough
Immunovant / Drug
This is for people whose thyroid is still overactive even though they take antithyroid pills. The shot lowers the level of the antibody driving it, instead of just blocking what the thyroid puts out.
Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.
Check eligibility →More details
Why researchers are excited: it goes after the cause rather than the symptom, so the hope is coming off pills entirely and staying well.
Who this study is looking for
- Adults 18 to 75
- Also, A confirmed diagnosis of Graves disease
- Besides that, your thyroid is still overactive despite taking antithyroid medicine
- Finally, you can follow the study schedule and give written consent
Probably not a fit if: you have already had radioactive iodine or your whole thyroid out, or you have moderate to severe active eye disease.
- Placebo group: Yes, some get a dummy shot and nobody is told which. However, everybody stays on their usual antithyroid medicine.
- How long: The main result is at week 26, so about 6 months.
- Clinic visits: At least 5, at screening and at the start and weeks 2, 4 and 26. However, this is an injected drug and the dosing schedule is not published, so expect more.
- Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
- Most invasive part: A shot under the skin plus repeated blood draws.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: Research Site, Hickory NC 28601.
- Drive from Charlotte: Hickory is about 58 miles northwest, so roughly an hour on I-40.
- Read this first: moderate to severe active eye disease rules you out. So the people with the most visible symptoms often cannot get into these studies, which is a real problem in the field.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
Not near you, but worth knowing about
These three are a long way off. However, one publishes its exact visit count and one accepts people with eye disease, so both are worth seeing.
A Drug Already Approved Elsewhere, Tested Here
argenx / Drug
Efgartigimod speeds up how fast your body clears out antibodies, including the one causing Graves. This is for people still overactive after at least three months on antithyroid pills.
Payment is not published. Also, the nearest site is in Texas.
Get on the list →More details
Why researchers are excited: the drug is already approved in other antibody driven diseases, so its safety is well known.
Who this study is looking for
- Adults 18 and older
- Also, confirmed Graves with the antibody at or above the normal limit
- Besides that, your thyroid is overactive now, with a TSH below 0.1
- Finally, you have taken antithyroid medicine for at least 3 months already
Probably not a fit if: you have had radioactive iodine or your thyroid removed, or you took any thyroid hormone or supplement in the past 6 weeks.
- Placebo group: Some people get placebo in the first part. However, a later part is fully open, so nobody stays on placebo forever.
- How long: 63 to 135 weeks, depending on how you respond. So it can run close to three years.
- Clinic visits: At least 9 published check points across up to 135 weeks, which is the richest schedule here. But the dosing frequency is not published, so the real number is higher.
- Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
- Most invasive part: A larger volume shot under the skin, plus repeated blood draws.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: Nearest sites are in Dallas and Houston TX, plus sites in California, Florida, Kansas, Michigan and New York.
- Worth knowing: up to 135 weeks is the longest commitment on this page, at nearly three years.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
Going After the Cells That Make the Antibody
Biogen / Drug
Felzartamab targets the immune cells that actually manufacture the harmful antibody, rather than clearing the antibody after it is made. The goal is normal levels with no antithyroid pills by week 24.
Payment is not published. Notably, there are only three sites in the world.
Get on the list →More details
Why researchers are excited: every other programme clears antibodies already made. This one goes after the factory, so the effect might last longer.
Who this study is looking for
- Adults 18 to 75
- Also, the antibody is high but your thyroid hormones are in range and your TSH is still suppressed
- Besides that, A steady dose of antithyroid medicine for at least 12 weeks
- Finally, you agree not to donate blood during the study
Probably not a fit if: you have had thyroid surgery or radioactive iodine, or you have active moderate to severe eye disease, or you have taken a similar antibody drug before.
- Placebo group: Yes, but the odds favour you. Two of the three groups get the real drug at different doses, so it is about 2 in 3.
- How long: About 9 months, so up to 36 weeks.
- Clinic visits: 22 in total, and the record states that number outright. So this is the only card here where we can be exact. That works out at roughly one visit every 2 weeks.
- Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
- Most invasive part: A drip into a vein, which is the heaviest delivery on this page, plus blood draws.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: Dallas TX, San Antonio TX, and Bayamon PR.
- Read this first: 22 visits in 9 months is a visit every couple of weeks, and there are only three sites on earth, two in Texas and one in Puerto Rico.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
One That Does Not Rule Out Eye Disease
Yarrow Bioscience / Drug
YB-101 is another antibody drug being tested in Graves disease. What sets it apart is who it accepts, because it enrols people with or without thyroid eye disease.
Payment is not published. However, the visit count is unusually honest.
Get on the list →More details
Why researchers are excited: almost every other Graves study excludes active eye disease, so this is one of the few doors open to those patients.
Who this study is looking for
- Adults with Graves disease
- Also, you may take part with or without thyroid eye disease
- Besides that, you can attend a heavy visit schedule across about 40 weeks
- Finally, the full rules are on the study record, so check them before you call
Probably not a fit if: the nearest recruiting site is in Macon, Georgia, so distance is the first hurdle for most readers here.
- Placebo group: The design has more than one part. So check with the clinic which part is enrolling when you call.
- How long: About 40 weeks.
- Clinic visits: 34 to 39 in clinic visits, and the record says so outright. That is the heaviest schedule on this page by a wide margin.
- Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
- Most invasive part: Repeated dosing and blood draws across about 40 weeks.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: Nearest site is Macon GA 31210, about 300 miles southwest of Charlotte.
- Why we list it: it is the rare Graves study that takes people with eye disease. Also, it publishes its visit count honestly, which most do not.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
Not sure which one fits you?
First, answer a few quick health questions. Then we check you against both studies. Finally, we call you when a new one opens near Charlotte. No account, no paperwork.
See if I may fit one of these studies →What Is Actually Changing in Graves Disease
The first real shift in eighty years.
What Graves Disease Actually Is
The thyroid makes far too much hormone, so everything speeds up. A racing heart, weight loss even while eating more, shaking hands, feeling hot, anxiety, poor sleep and weak muscles. The cause is an antibody that latches onto the thyroid switch and jams it open. Also, it hits women about five to ten times more often than men, usually between 30 and 50.
Treatment Has Barely Changed Since the 1940s
There are three options and they are all old. Antithyroid pills that block hormone production, radioactive iodine that destroys the gland, or surgery that removes it. So two of the three deliberately destroy a healthy organ, and both leave you needing thyroid hormone for life. As Mark Lupo of the Thyroid and Endocrine Center of Florida put it, the options have not changed in many decades.
The Pills Never Touch the Cause
Antithyroid pills do not destroy anything, which is their advantage. However, when you stop them the disease comes back for roughly half of people. That is because the pills only slow what the thyroid puts out. Meanwhile, the antibody driving the whole thing is still there doing exactly what it was doing before.
A New Class Goes After the Antibody
The new drugs speed up how fast your body clears out the antibodies causing the problem. There are now at least five separate programmes racing in Graves disease. Some clear the antibody after it is made. Another goes after the cells that make it. In fact, one is designed to remove only the harmful antibody and leave the ones protecting you from infection alone.
What Would Actually Change
If any of these work, the goal shifts. Right now the choice is manage it with pills or destroy the gland. So the new goal is drug induced remission with your thyroid left in place. Notably, that is why two of these studies sit within an hour of Charlotte, because sponsors are moving fast to enrol.
One Problem Worth Naming
Almost every one of these studies rules out people with moderate to severe active thyroid eye disease. So the people with the most visible and distressing symptoms are often the ones who cannot get in. That is a real gap, and we would rather point at it than skip past it. However, one study here does accept people with eye disease, which is why we list it despite the distance.
Research Sites Near Charlotte
The two nearest Graves studies run in Statesville and Hickory. But sites add new studies all the time, so it is worth knowing what else sits near you.
Atrium Health
Multiple Charlotte locations / 161+ active studies
Crohn’s, Heart Failure, COPD, Dementia, Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension
Charlotte’s biggest health system. It is tied to Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Also, it runs far more trials than anyone else nearby.
Visit Website →
American Health Research Network
Ballantyne, NC 28277 / 25 to 30+ active studies
Asthma, COPD, Chronic Cough, Type 2 Diabetes
Led by Dr. Selwyn Spangenthal. It is the biggest private lung research group in Charlotte. Specifically, it has 4 offices: Charlotte, Rock Hill, Lake Norman, and Charleston.
Visit Website →
Monroe Biomedical Research
Monroe, NC / 17+ active studies
Asthma, COPD, Hypertension, Obesity, Ulcerative Colitis
Notably, one of the 5 busiest research sites in the country. Its 6,300 sq ft space can host overnight stays. It is also an SCRS Global Impact Partner.
Visit Website →
Clinical Research of Gastonia
Gastonia, NC / 11+ active studies
Asthma, COPD, Chronic Cough, Idiopathic Hypersomnia
Led by Dr. Anup Banerjee. Its 3,500 sq ft space sits next to CaroMont Regional Medical Center. Also, it has been running for over 10 years.
Visit Website →
OnSite Clinical Solutions
Ballantyne, NC 28277 / 10+ active studies
Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s, COPD, Heart Failure, Atopic Dermatitis
It works with Charlotte doctors in heart, gut, skin, nerve, and joint care. Besides, it runs studies from Phase I through Phase IV.
Visit Website →
Flourish Research
Matthews, NC 28105 / 4+ active studies
Alzheimer’s Disease, Early Alzheimer’s, Alzheimer’s-Related Psychosis
Led by Dr. M. Reza Bolouri. He has 20+ years in Alzheimer’s research. The site is an Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence. In fact, its network has finished 5,500+ trials.
Visit Website →
New Hope Clinical Research
SouthPark, NC 28211 / 4+ active studies
Major Depression, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder
Led by Dr. Kurian Abraham. It runs Phase I through IV studies and has 30 beds for overnight stays. Its last FDA audit came back clean. Also, it has finished 200+ brain studies.
Visit Website →
Queen City Clinical Research
SouthPark, NC 28211 / 2+ active studies
Chronic Pain, Chronic Migraine, Osteoarthritis
Led by Dr. Leonardo Kapural, a former Cleveland Clinic professor. Notably, he has written 200+ journal articles. On top of that, many call this the biggest pain research site in the country.
Visit Website →
Novant Health
Multiple Charlotte locations / Several active studies
Cardiovascular Disease, Obesity, Hypertension
One of the biggest health systems in the Carolinas. Its Heart and Vascular Institute runs heart studies and sees a lot of patients.
Visit Website →
DLVSC
4 Charlotte-area offices / 1+ active studies
Eczema, Psoriasis, Rosacea
Led by Dr. Gilly Munavalli. This award-winning skin practice owns 50+ FDA-approved lasers and devices. Also, it has its own research team.
Visit Website →
DelRicht Research
South Charlotte, NC 28210 / 1+ active studies
Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Depression
Part of a national network of mental health research sites. Currently, it runs the azetukalner bipolar depression trial in Charlotte. Previously, it ran other mental health studies.
Visit Website →
TMS of the Carolinas
South Charlotte, NC 28210 / 1+ active studies
Major Depression, Treatment-Resistant Depression
A specialty site for brain stimulation care. It runs the fast TMS study that packs 6 weeks into 2.
Visit Website →What to Expect in a Graves Disease Study
New to studies? Here is how one works, step by step.
01
Prescreening
First comes a short phone call or online form. Also, it takes about 10 to 15 minutes. The staff check whether you might fit. Then they tell you what is open.
02
Screening Visit
Next the clinic runs the tests that decide it, which usually means blood work. Also, they go through the consent form line by line, and you can bring somebody with you.
03
Treatment Period
Then the study begins. So you take the study drug or the placebo on the agreed schedule. Meanwhile, your own doctor keeps managing everything else.
04
Follow-Up
Finally, there is a check in period at the end. Also, your own doctor gets the results, and you can stop at any point without affecting your care.
Graves Disease Trial FAQs
Real answers about overactive thyroid studies near Charlotte NC.
Is there a Graves study near Charlotte right now?
Yes, two. One is in Statesville, about 40 miles up I-77, and one is in Hickory, about 58 miles northwest. Both test a new kind of drug aimed at the antibody that causes Graves. Also, in both of them you keep taking your usual antithyroid pills. There is nothing inside Charlotte itself today.
Would I have to stop my methimazole?
No. In both nearby studies your usual antithyroid medicine keeps going the whole time. The study drug is added on top, never swapped in. However, one of them does require you to be off levothyroxine or T3 for 6 weeks first. So if you are on both drugs together, that is the rule to ask about.
What is different about these new drugs?
They go after the antibody rather than the gland. Antithyroid pills slow what your thyroid puts out, but the antibody driving it is still there. So when you stop the pills it comes back for about half of people. Meanwhile, these drugs try to clear the antibody, which is why remission is the goal.
Why does everyone keep asking about my eyes?
Because thyroid eye disease rules you out of most of these studies. If yours is moderate to severe and active, you would likely be excluded from both nearby ones. That is a real gap in the field, and we would rather name it than skip it. However, one study on this page does accept people with eye disease, though it is in Georgia.
How many visits are we really talking about?
For the two nearby ones, at least 4 or 5 named, and probably more that are not published. So ask the clinic for the written schedule before you agree to anything. Also, look at the other cards for contrast. One study publishes 22 visits and another publishes 34 to 39. In short, the range in this field is enormous.
Is there a placebo?
Yes, in both nearby studies some people get a dummy shot. However, nobody goes untreated, because your usual antithyroid medicine keeps going regardless. So the comparison is your normal treatment with or without the new drug added. Also, one of the further studies gives about 2 in 3 people the real drug.
Will this let me avoid surgery or radioactive iodine?
That is the hope, and it is exactly what these studies are built to answer. Nobody can promise it, and we will not pretend the results are in. However, both of those options destroy a healthy gland and leave you on hormone replacement for life. So a drug that produces remission with the thyroid intact would change the whole picture.
Do I need insurance?
No. None of these require insurance. The study medicine and study visits are provided at no cost. Also, you keep your own doctor throughout, and results are sent back to them. You would always call the clinic yourself.
What if my thyroid was already removed?
Then these studies cannot take you, and that is a firm rule. Past surgery or radioactive iodine rules you out of every one on this page. That is because they are testing whether the gland can be saved. Meanwhile, put your name in anyway, because we track studies for people after treatment too.
Where can I get thyroid care near Charlotte NC?
Atrium Health and Novant Health both run hormone clinics across the metro. Also, ask specifically for a thyroid specialist rather than general care. Your primary care doctor can refer you. Meanwhile, ask whether your eyes have been checked, because eye disease is treated by a different specialist.
Ready to Explore a Study?
Check your eligibility, or just reach out to our Charlotte team. No pressure. Also, no sales pitch.
← Back to All Clinical TrialsSources
- BHV-1300 in Graves disease, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07661056
- IMVT-1402 in Graves disease, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07018323
- VitaliThy efgartigimod study, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07570316
- GRAVITATE felzartamab study, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07722546
- YB-101 in Graves disease, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07682896
- Clinical Research News: a new option for Graves disease, with comment from Mark Lupo, MD
Study details and per-site recruiting status verified against ClinicalTrials.gov on August 15, 2026. On that date the nearest recruiting sites to Charlotte were in Statesville and Hickory NC. Study availability and criteria change; the research clinic confirms everything before you enroll.