CHARLOTTE, NC

Heart Valve Clinical Trials

8 heart valve studies are enrolling near Charlotte NC, which is the most of any condition on our site. Seven place a real valve, and one is a daily pill. Free heart imaging and no insurance needed. Compensation is provided for eligible participants.

Enrolling Now

Inside Charlotte

+/- $100

Per Visit

New here? Read how this page works

First, this is the largest valve list in the region, and Charlotte is unusually strong here. Also, the studies split cleanly into three kinds. So here is how to work through them.

Which valve is it? Because the aortic and mitral groups below are entirely separate lists.
Is it narrowed or leaking? Notably, those need different devices, and one study is only for leaking.
Then check the pill study. In fact, it is the only one you can join before your valve needs fixing.
Finally, tap Check eligibility. Then we check you against all 8 at once and tell you when a new one opens.

Of course, checking never signs you up for anything. You are only seeing where you might fit.

The 8 Heart Valve Studies Enrolling Near Charlotte

Charlotte is a genuine structural heart hub. However, these want very different people, so the groups below matter.

A pill, and a short drive

This is the only study here that is not a procedure. Also, it is the only one you can join before your valve is bad enough to fix.

The First Pill Meant to Slow a Stiffening Valve

Kardigan / Drug

This is for people whose main heart valve is stiffening but is not yet bad enough to replace. So a daily pill is tested to see whether it slows the calcium building up on the valve.

Late stage, nearing FDA review A pill, not a procedure

Est. $300 or so, but the full schedule is not published

Check eligibility →

More details

Why researchers are excited: no drug on earth slows this. Today every patient simply waits until the valve is bad enough for surgery.

Who this study is looking for

Adults 50 and older
Also, moderate calcium build up on the aortic valve, seen on a scan
Besides that, your heart pumping strength is still reasonable, at 45 percent or better
Finally, no valve replacement expected in the next 6 months

Probably not a fit if: you were born with a two flap valve, or you have moderate mitral valve disease, or your arteries need treating first.

Placebo group: Yes, and roughly half get a dummy pill. Nobody involved knows which, not even the people scoring the results.
How long: Up to about 3 years.
Clinic visits: At least 3 published check points, at weeks 24, 48 and 158. However, the full schedule is not published, and a 3 year daily pill study will involve more.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: Generally, heart ultrasounds, CT scans and blood draws. Notably, no catheter and no surgery.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: OnSite Clinical Solutions, Rock Hill SC 29732.
Drive from Charlotte: Rock Hill is about 25 miles south, so roughly 30 minutes down I-77.
Why this one is different: it is the only study here that is a pill rather than a procedure, and the only one you can join before your valve is bad enough to fix.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Aortic valve procedures

All of these place a real valve through a catheter. Notably, none uses a fake procedure, so nobody goes untreated.

The Newest Generation Aortic Valve

Edwards Lifesciences / Device

The newest version of a balloon expanded aortic valve, placed by catheter through the groin. Also, it is measured against how current valves are expected to perform.

Final device study before FDA review No placebo

Payment is not published. Ask the clinic.

See if you fit →

More details

Why researchers are excited: as this procedure moves to younger and lower risk people, how long the valve lasts becomes the whole question.

Who this study is looking for

Severe calcified narrowing of the aortic valve
Also, symptoms that limit you
Besides that, valve anatomy that fits the device on a CT scan
Finally, able to consent and attend follow up

Probably not a fit if: you have a valve with one or two flaps instead of three, or an artificial valve already, or a BMI over 50, or a life expectancy under 2 years.

Placebo group: None at all and no fake procedure. Everybody receives the study valve.
How long: Main result at 1 year, with tracking running about a decade.
Clinic visits: Only 2 published, at 30 days and 1 year. However, the record runs to 2037, so yearly follow up is implied but not listed.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: Basically, replacement of the aortic valve through a catheter in the groin artery.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Novant Health Heart and Vascular Institute, Charlotte NC 28204.
Read this carefully: Novant is open for this study but Atrium is not. So going to the wrong Charlotte hospital wastes a trip.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

A New Valve Inside a Worn Out One

Edwards Lifesciences / Device

For people who already had an aortic valve replaced and whose replacement is now wearing out. So a new valve is placed inside the old one by catheter, avoiding a second open heart operation.

Final device study before FDA review No placebo

Payment is not published. Ask the clinic.

See if you fit →

More details

Why researchers are excited: the first wave of tissue valve recipients is now reaching the end of their valve’s life, and a repeat operation is far riskier.

Who this study is looking for

You already have an artificial aortic valve that is failing
Also, it is at least moderately narrowed or leaking
Besides that, symptoms that limit you
Finally, the heart team rates a repeat operation as high risk or worse

Probably not a fit if: the old valve is leaking badly around the outside or is unstable, or your pumping strength is under 20 percent, or you had a valve infection in the last 6 months.

Placebo group: None at all and no fake procedure. Everybody receives the valve.
How long: Main result at 1 year, with tracking running well beyond.
Clinic visits: Only 2 published, at 30 days and 1 year. The longer schedule is not published on the public record.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: Basically, a valve placed inside your existing artificial valve, through a catheter.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Carolinas Health System and Novant Health, both Charlotte NC 28204.
Worth knowing: this is the rare study where a previous heart operation is the entry ticket rather than a reason to turn you away. Also, two Charlotte hospitals are both open for it.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

A Catheter Valve for a Leaking Valve, Not a Blocked One

JC Medical / Device

Most catheter valves grip onto calcium to stay in place. A valve that leaks has no calcium to grip. However, this device anchors differently, so it is built for leaking rather than narrowing.

Final device study before FDA review No placebo

Payment is not published. Ask the clinic.

See if you fit →

More details

Why researchers are excited: pure leaking has had no catheter option at all, which has meant open surgery for everybody.

Who this study is looking for

Severe leaking of the aortic valve
Also, symptoms that limit you
Besides that, A heart team judges you high risk for surgery
Finally, able to attend 5 years of follow up

Probably not a fit if: you already have an artificial aortic valve, or your pumping strength is under 25 percent, or you are on dialysis, or you have an active infection.

Placebo group: None at all and no fake procedure. Everybody receives the valve.
How long: 5 years of follow up.
Clinic visits: About 7. First baseline, then the procedure, 30 days, 1 year, and yearly to 5 years.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: Basically, a valve placed through a catheter in the groin artery.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Carolinas Health System, Charlotte NC 28204.
Worth knowing: the first cases at each site are learning cases and their results sit outside the main analysis. So ask which category you would be in.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

After the Valve, Do the Arteries Need Fixing Too?

University of British Columbia / Strategy

About half of people who get a new aortic valve also have blocked heart arteries. So this randomly assigns whether those arteries get stented, or are treated with medicines alone.

Late stage, 4,000 people Within 96 hours of a valve procedure

Payment is not published. Ask the clinic.

See if you fit →

More details

Why researchers are excited: there is genuinely no agreement on whether opening those arteries helps or just adds risk. This settles it.

Who this study is looking for

You have just had a successful valve procedure through the groin, within the last 96 hours
Also, you had symptoms before it
Besides that, at least one heart artery is 70 percent or more blocked
Finally, that blockage can be treated with a stent

Probably not a fit if: you had a stent in the last 90 days, or one is already planned, or your pumping strength is under 30 percent.

Placebo group: None at all and no fake procedure. The comparison group gets medicines, and is not taken for a pretend stenting.
How long: About 3 and a half years on average.
Clinic visits: About 7 or 8. First baseline, then straight after the valve, 30 days, 6 months, 1 year, and yearly.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: For the stent group, an artery procedure 1 to 45 days after the valve. Otherwise nothing extra.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Novant Health Heart and Vascular Institute, Charlotte NC 28204.
Read this first: the window is 96 hours after your valve procedure. So this has to be raised while you are still in hospital, and cannot be planned weeks ahead.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Mitral valve procedures

The mitral valve is the harder problem, and these are among the few designs that have reached people at all.

A New Mitral Valve for People Turned Down Twice

4C Medical Technologies / Device

A replacement mitral valve delivered by catheter that sits above the natural valve rather than inside it. So it is for people whose leaking valve cannot be fixed by surgery or by a clip.

Final device study before FDA review No placebo

Payment is not published. Ask the clinic.

See if you fit →

More details

Why researchers are excited: its design sidesteps the problem that has defeated most mitral valve replacements, which is blocking the heart’s outflow.

Who this study is looking for

Adults 18 and older
Also, A moderate to severe or severe leaking mitral valve
Besides that, still breathless despite proper medicines
Finally, the heart team has judged you unsuitable for both surgery and a clip

Probably not a fit if: your heart pumping strength is 25 percent or less, or you are allergic to nickel, or you had a heart procedure in the last 90 days.

Placebo group: None at all and no fake procedure. Everybody enrolled receives the real valve.
How long: 5 years of follow up.
Clinic visits: About 9. First baseline, then the procedure, 30 days, 6 months, 1 year, and yearly to 5 years.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: Basically, a valve placed through a vein and across the wall between the heart’s upper chambers.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Atrium Health, Charlotte NC 28203.
Read this first: you must have been turned down for both surgery and the clip. So being high risk is not enough, because you have to be out of standard options.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

One of the First Catheter Mitral Valves in People

Abbott / Device

A replacement mitral valve folded into a catheter, threaded up a leg vein and opened inside the heart. Notably, only 50 people worldwide are in it.

Earliest human testing Very early, 50 people worldwide

Payment is not published. Ask the clinic.

See if you fit →

More details

Why researchers are excited: a true catheter mitral valve replacement is the last big unsolved problem in structural heart disease.

Who this study is looking for

Mitral valve disease causing severe leaking or severe narrowing
Also, your heart pumping strength is 30 percent or better
Besides that, the heart team judges a catheter approach better than open surgery
Finally, able to consent

Probably not a fit if: you have had surgery that would block delivery of the device, or you need an urgent operation.

Placebo group: None at all and no fake procedure. Everybody receives the device.
How long: Main result at 30 days, with the record running to 2031.
Clinic visits: Only 1 published, at 30 days. Everything beyond that is not published, despite a 2031 end date.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: Basically, a mitral valve implanted through a catheter across the wall between the heart’s upper chambers.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte NC 28203.
Worth knowing: 50 people across about 22 sites means Charlotte may take only one or two. So availability can close with no notice.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Tracking Who Is Even a Candidate

Abbott / Observational registry

Nothing is given or changed. Researchers record what happens to people considered for a catheter mitral valve. Instead, it builds the real world picture that trials alone never capture.

Observational, nothing is treated Registry, not a treatment

No study payment. It is a registry rather than a paid trial.

Read the details →

More details

Why researchers are excited: it shows who actually turns out to be a candidate, and what happens to the people who are not treated.

Who this study is looking for

Adults 18 and older
Also, symptomatic mitral valve disease
Besides that, symptoms that limit you
Finally, the heart team considers a catheter approach more suitable than surgery

Probably not a fit if: you are on dialysis, or you need constant oxygen, or a past procedure would block valve delivery.

Placebo group: None at all. Nothing is assigned, because this only records what happens.
How long: 2 years of follow up.
Clinic visits: Not published on the public record. However, nothing is required beyond your normal care.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: Nothing beyond the care you were already having.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte NC 28203, and MUSC, Charleston SC 29425.
Be clear on this one: joining does not get you the valve. Still, it is often how a centre identifies you for the device study later.
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 all 8 studies. No account, no paperwork.

See if I may fit one of these studies →

✓ Takes just a few minutes✓ No cost, no obligation✓ You are never enrolled by checking

Why Valve Research Matters Here in Charlotte

The murmur nobody explains

Somebody gets short of breath on the stairs and puts it down to age. Then a doctor listening to the chest hears a murmur and stops talking for a moment. Nobody says aortic stenosis at first, though. Instead, they say there is a little something on your valve. Also, plenty of people are told to come back in a year and hear nothing more about it.

What is actually being studied here

Gastonia, Rock Hill, Monroe, Kannapolis, Concord. Valve disease is mostly a condition of ageing, so it turns up everywhere. However, Charlotte is a real structural heart hub, and that is not true of most of our pages. So eight studies run within the metro, covering aortic and mitral valves and one pill. In fact, Columbia has none at all, which is the sharpest contrast on our whole site.

So why do people here fall behind?

It hides for years. A valve can be badly narrowed before you feel anything. So the first sign is often breathlessness put down to age.
People are told to wait. Watchful waiting was standard for decades. However, the evidence on treating earlier has shifted recently.
Mitral valves are harder. Catheter fixes work well for the aortic valve but not yet for the mitral. Meanwhile, three studies here are trying to change that.
There is no drug for it. Not one medicine anywhere slows a stiffening valve. In fact, that is exactly what the pill study is testing.
The two hospitals differ. One large study is open at Novant but closed at Atrium. So going to the wrong one wastes a trip.

Research is a care option, not a last resort

There is a saying in medicine that research is a care option rather than a last resort. Generally, that is the honest way to think about a study. You are not giving up your own doctor. Instead, you are adding a second set of eyes. Notably, seven of these eight give everybody a real working valve, because there is no fake procedure in any of them.

What being on the list actually gets you

This is a directory, not a clinic. So being on the list is simple and it costs nothing.

What you actually get

A call from us the day a study opens near you
The clinic name and number, so you call them yourself
A check against every other study on our list, not just this one
No cost, and no insurance needed
Roughly $100 a visit for your time, once you are in a study
You are never enrolled by checking

So add it up. Seven of the eight place a real valve, and nobody in them goes untreated. Meanwhile, the eighth is a pill aimed at a problem no drug has ever touched. So the question is not whether research is worth a look. Instead, it is whether another year of waiting is.

What Is Actually Being Tested for Heart Valves

One pill, and a lot of catheters.

Two Different Problems, Often Confused

Your heart has four valves that work like one way doors. In narrowing, the valve stiffens with calcium so the heart strains to push blood out. In leaking, the door does not close, so blood sloshes backwards and the heart pumps the same blood twice. So they feel similar from the outside but need completely different fixes.

Open Surgery Is No Longer the Only Answer

Most aortic valves can now be replaced through a catheter threaded up from the groin, with people often home in a day or two. That changed the field completely. However, doing the same for the mitral and tricuspid valves is much harder because of their shape. In fact, that is why most of the studies here are mitral and tricuspid device trials.

Should You Fix It Before You Feel It?

A big question is whether to act before symptoms start. On the recent evidence, Philippe Généreux said the most important finding is that there is no evidence of any penalty or harm from treating early. He added that it seems there are no advantages to waiting. Meanwhile, Josep Rodes-Cabau pointed out there were no differences in death at 4 years, and that half of those simply watched seemed to do okay.

Which Means Monitoring Matters

If early treatment is safe but waiting is also survivable, the decision rests on watching closely. As Gilbert Tang of Mount Sinai put it, even if you have no symptoms you should be monitored very closely for symptoms starting or creeping in. So the practical advice is to keep your echo appointments. Notably, several studies here give you far more imaging than routine care does.

The One Pill on This Page

Every other study here involves a catheter. One does not. It tests whether a daily pill can slow the calcium building up on a stiffening valve. There is no drug anywhere in the world that does this today, so every patient simply waits until surgery is needed. However, it only takes people whose valve is not yet bad enough to replace, so the window for joining is narrow.

Research Sites Near Charlotte

Atrium Health and Novant Health run all eight of these between them. 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 Heart Valve Study

New to studies? Here is how one works, step by step.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Heart Valve Trial FAQs

Real answers about aortic stenosis and valve studies near Charlotte NC.

Is there a valve study near Charlotte right now?

Yes, eight, which is the most of any condition we track. Seven run inside Charlotte at Atrium Health and Novant Health. Also, the eighth is a daily pill study in Rock Hill, about 30 minutes south. So this is one page where the local answer is genuinely strong.

Would I need open heart surgery?

For most of these, no. Almost every study here places the valve through a catheter from the groin, and people often go home in a day or two. That approach replaced open surgery for most aortic valves. However, one study on this page is a daily pill and involves no procedure at all. Also, mitral and tricuspid valves are harder, which is why several of these are still being tested.

Is there a placebo?

Only in the pill study, where roughly half get a dummy tablet. Every device study here gives everybody a real working valve, with no fake procedure at all. So the coin flip in those studies decides which device, not whether you get one. Notably, that is unusual and worth knowing.

What if I have no symptoms yet?

That may be the best time to ask, and the evidence has shifted. Philippe Genereux said the most important finding is no evidence of any penalty or harm from treating early. However, Josep Rodes-Cabau noted that half of those simply watched seemed to do okay at four years. So the honest answer is that both paths are defensible, which is exactly why close monitoring matters.

Do I need insurance?

No. None of these require insurance. The study medicine, the procedures and the visits are provided at no cost. Also, you keep your own cardiologist throughout, and results are sent back to them. You would always call the clinic yourself.

What is the pill study actually testing?

Whether a daily tablet can slow the calcium building up on a stiffening aortic valve. There is no drug anywhere in the world that does this, so today every patient just waits until surgery is needed. However, you can only join before your valve is bad enough to replace. So if you already need a valve replacement, you are excluded.

Why do the two Charlotte hospitals matter?

Because their study status is not the same. One large aortic valve study is open at Novant Health but closed at Atrium Health. Two others run at both. So we name the hospital on every card, and it is worth confirming before you drive anywhere.

Where can I get valve care near Charlotte NC?

Atrium Health Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute and Novant Health both run structural heart programmes. Also, ask for a structural heart team rather than general cardiology, because that is who decides these cases. Your primary care doctor can refer you. Meanwhile, ask for a copy of your echo report, because the numbers on it decide most of your options.

Ready to Explore a Study?

Check your eligibility, or just reach out to our Charlotte team. No pressure. Also, no sales pitch.

See if I may fit one of these studies → Contact Us

← Back to All Clinical Trials

Sources

Study details and per-site recruiting status verified against ClinicalTrials.gov on August 15, 2026. Study availability and criteria change; the research clinic confirms everything before you enroll.

See which valve study you qualify for →