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CHARLOTTE, NC

Type 2 Diabetes Clinical Trials

6 paid type 2 diabetes studies are enrolling near Charlotte NC, and another opens soon. Free labs, free study medicine, and no insurance needed. Compensation is provided for eligible participants.

6

Enrolling Now

1

Opening Soon

+/- $100

Per Visit

New here? Read how this page works

Every study below is near Charlotte. Each card says who it wants, whether there is a placebo, and what it pays. So here is the simplest way through them.

  1. Read the cards below. Six are enrolling today. Also, one more opens shortly.
  2. Check the placebo line first. Because three of these have no placebo at all, and that changes the decision.
  3. Tap Check eligibility on the one that fits. Not sure? Then use the button at the bottom and we check you against all 7 at once.
  4. We send your results. Along with them comes the clinic name and number. Finally, you call them yourself.

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

The Type 2 Diabetes Studies Enrolling Near Charlotte

Every one below is real and checked this week. So read who each is looking for, or open the full record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Enrolling now near Charlotte

Six are open today. Notably, three of them have no placebo group at all, so everybody gets a real medicine.

Which Diabetes Drug Protects You Better (PRECIDENTD)

Brigham and Women’s Hospital / Drug

Two drug types already on the market are compared head to head, to see which protects the heart and kidneys better. There is no placebo here, so everybody gets a real medicine.

Late stage, both drugs approved Recruiting

Payment is not published. However, there are very few visits, so treat the free medicine as the main benefit.

Check eligibility →
More details

Why researchers are excited: nobody has ever run this comparison properly, so doctors are genuinely guessing which class to reach for first.

Who this study is looking for

  • Adults 40 to 80 with type 2 diabetes
  • Also, A1C of 6 or higher
  • Besides that, either existing heart or artery disease, or age 60 plus with a risk factor
  • Finally, willing to switch to whichever of the two you are assigned

Probably not a fit if: you have type 1 diabetes, a past bout of pancreatitis, or you were in hospital for heart failure in the last year.

  • Placebo group: None at all. Instead, you get either a daily pill or an injection, and both are real approved medicines.
  • How long: About 3 years of follow up on average.
  • Clinic visits: Very few, and that is the point. This is a pragmatic study, so after enrolling you mostly carry on with your own doctor. Expect roughly 1 to 4 visits across about 3 years.
  • Phone calls: Follow up is largely through your medical records rather than appointments.
  • Most invasive part: Almost nothing extra. In fact, you fill the prescription at your own pharmacy, and no experimental drug is involved.
  • Setting: Outpatient.
  • Where it runs: Atrium Health Family Medicine Research, Charlotte NC 28207.
  • Worth knowing: you would need to stop any GLP-1 or SGLT2 medicine you take now, because the study assigns which one you get.
  • Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

A Once a Day Pill for Diabetes and Weight (ACCOMPLISH-2)

Structure Therapeutics / Drug

Most new diabetes and weight drugs are weekly shots. Aleniglipron is a pill you swallow once a day instead. It is for people carrying extra weight alongside type 2 diabetes.

Late stage, nearing FDA review Recruiting

Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.

Check eligibility →
More details

Why researchers are excited: a pill removes the needle and the fridge, which is most of what stops people staying on these drugs.

Who this study is looking for

  • Adults 18 to 79
  • Also, type 2 diabetes with an A1C between 6.5 and 10
  • Besides that, BMI of 27 or higher
  • Finally, comfortable taking a pill every day

Probably not a fit if: you have type 1 diabetes, or you have had weight loss surgery, or your weight moved more than 11 pounds in the last 3 months.

  • Placebo group: Some people get a placebo pill. However, the odds are not published, so ask the clinic before you sign.
  • How long: 76 weeks, so roughly a year and a half.
  • Clinic visits: Probably 14 to 18 across 76 weeks, but be aware this is an estimate. The record only publishes a start and an end point, so ask the clinic for the real schedule before you commit.
  • Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
  • Most invasive part: Blood draws, including A1C. Still, no surgery and no overnight stays.
  • Setting: Outpatient.
  • Where it runs: ACCOMPLISH-2 Research Site, Charlotte NC 28210.
  • Worth knowing: you keep taking your usual diabetes medicine. Instead of replacing it, the study drug is tested alongside it.
  • Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

An Add On Pill to Protect the Heart (EASi-PROTKT)

Boehringer Ingelheim / Drug

Everyone takes empagliflozin, a common diabetes pill, and half also take a new tablet called vicadrostat. The question is whether adding it prevents heart failure in people who already have heart disease.

Late stage, nearing FDA review Recruiting

Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.

Check eligibility →
More details

Why researchers are excited: it is one of the largest diabetes studies running anywhere, with nearly 12,000 people enrolled worldwide.

Who this study is looking for

  • Adults 18 and older with type 2 diabetes
  • Also, treated high blood pressure
  • Besides that, existing heart or artery disease
  • Finally, at least one extra risk factor for heart failure

Probably not a fit if: you have ever had heart failure, or you take a water pill like spironolactone.

  • Placebo group: Half get the new tablet and half get a placebo tablet. However, everybody gets empagliflozin, which is a real medicine.
  • How long: Between 2 and a half and 4 years.
  • Clinic visits: Roughly 12 to 18 over about 4 years. So screening and randomisation first, early safety labs, a check at 6 months, then every 3 to 6 months.
  • Phone calls: Not published. But the visit spacing above comes from the study record.
  • Most invasive part: Blood draws, kidney and potassium labs, and heart checks. But it is all tablets, so there are no injections.
  • Setting: Outpatient.
  • Where it runs: Accellacare, Mooresville NC 28117, and Piedmont Research Partners, Fort Mill SC 29707.
  • Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

CagriSema Compared With Semaglutide

Novo Nordisk / Drug

Two doses of CagriSema go head to head against semaglutide, the drug sold as Ozempic and Wegovy. Both are weekly shots, and there is no placebo group.

Late stage, nearing FDA review Recruiting

Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.

Check eligibility →
More details

Why researchers are excited: it is a straight fight between the current leader and its likely successor, so everybody in it gets a serious drug.

Who this study is looking for

  • Adults 18 and older
  • Also, BMI of 35 or higher
  • Besides that, type 2 diabetes is allowed but not required
  • Finally, A1C under 10 if you have diabetes, or under 6.5 if you do not

Probably not a fit if: you have taken a GLP-1 drug like Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro in the past 6 months.

  • Placebo group: No placebo group at all. Instead, everyone gets one of the two active drugs.
  • How long: About 83 weeks, including 72 weeks of treatment.
  • Clinic visits: Roughly 15 to 22 across 80 weeks. Generally monthly while the dose steps up, then about every 8 weeks.
  • Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
  • Most invasive part: Blood draws and measurements at the clinic. Notably, the weekly shot is one you give yourself at home, so it does not mean a weekly trip.
  • Setting: Outpatient.
  • Where it runs: Piedmont Healthcare Research, Statesville NC 28625.
  • Worth knowing: this one takes people without diabetes too. So a partner or family member may also fit.
  • Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

A New Weekly Shot, Still Finding Its Dose

Novo Nordisk / Drug

This is an earlier study testing several doses of a new weekly shot against semaglutide and against a placebo. It is smaller and watched more closely than the late stage studies above.

Mid stage, dose finding Recruiting

Est. $500 or so, across about 5 visits.

Check eligibility →
More details

Why researchers are excited: early dose finding studies are where the next standard treatment gets shaped, and the groups are small.

Who this study is looking for

  • Adults 18 to 75 with type 2 diabetes
  • Also, A1C between 7 and 10
  • Besides that, willing to aim for substantial weight loss
  • Finally, able to attend visits over about 48 weeks

Probably not a fit if: you have taken a diabetes or weight drug outside your usual background treatment in the last 90 days, or you cannot feel your low blood sugar warning signs.

  • Placebo group: Yes, there is a placebo group here, alongside the new drug doses and semaglutide.
  • How long: 40 weeks of treatment, then follow up to week 48.
  • Clinic visits: Roughly 14 to 18 across 48 weeks. In fact, the record names checks at weeks 16, 28, 40 and 48.
  • Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
  • Most invasive part: Blood draws and an eye exam with drops at screening. However, the weekly shot is self given at home, so it is not a weekly visit.
  • Setting: Outpatient.
  • Where it runs: Piedmont Healthcare Statesville, Statesville NC 28625.
  • Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

A Phone Program for Appetite and Diabetes

UNC Chapel Hill / Behavioral

This one has no medicine at all. Instead, it is app based diabetes education plus lessons on managing appetite and the urge to overeat.

Behavioral, no drug No drug involved

Payment is not published. So ask the site, because behavioral studies usually pay less.

See if you fit →
More details

Why researchers are excited: most diabetes research tests drugs. Notably, this tests whether the eating side can be taught.

Who this study is looking for

  • Adults 18 to 75 with type 2 diabetes
  • Also, an A1C above 7.5
  • Besides that, identify as non-Hispanic African American
  • Finally, own a working smartphone

Probably not a fit if: you have had weight loss surgery, or you are already in another weight loss program.

  • Placebo group: No placebo, because there is no drug. However, the comparison group still gets sessions and nutrition tutorials.
  • How long: 6 months.
  • Clinic visits: Just 2 in person visits across 6 months, at the start and at the end, because staff have to weigh you and run the A1C. Everything else happens on your phone.
  • Phone calls: Weekly messages and monthly booster sessions rather than calls.
  • Most invasive part: Nothing invasive. Basically, it is questionnaires, an A1C, and a Fitbit.
  • Setting: Outpatient.
  • Where it runs: UNC Nutrition Research Institute, Kannapolis NC 28081.
  • Be clear on this one: there is no study drug, so do not expect drug study pay.
  • Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Opening soon

Registered nearby but not yet taking people. So checking now simply puts you in line.

Elecoglipron Against an Oral Semaglutide (Eluminate-2)

AstraZeneca / Drug

A new AstraZeneca drug goes head to head with a daily semaglutide pill, and there is no placebo. The Statesville site is registered but has not opened its doors yet.

Late stage, nearing FDA review Not yet enrolling

Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.

Check eligibility early →
More details

Why researchers are excited: it pits a brand new drug directly against the leading pill rather than against a placebo.

Who this study is looking for

  • Adults 18 and older
  • Also, type 2 diabetes for at least 90 days that is not well controlled
  • Besides that, A1C between 7 and 10.5
  • Finally, raised heart risk, and a BMI of 23 or higher

Probably not a fit if: you have type 1 diabetes, a history of pancreatitis, or a family history of medullary thyroid cancer.

  • Placebo group: No placebo. Instead, it is one active drug against another.
  • How long: Main results come at 52 weeks, and the study runs into 2028.
  • Clinic visits: Roughly 10 to 13 across about 13 months. So every 4 weeks early on, then stretching to every 12 weeks.
  • Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
  • Most invasive part: Blood draws and heart checks. Both drugs are pills taken at home.
  • Setting: Outpatient.
  • Where it runs: Research Site, Statesville NC 28625.
  • Status, plainly: every Carolinas site for this study is registered but not yet recruiting. So nobody can join today, and we will not pretend otherwise.
  • 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 7 studies for you. 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 Diabetes Research Matters Here in Charlotte

The stories my grandmother told

My grandmother grew up in south Charlotte, and she kept track of everybody. There was a man from church out toward Gastonia who lost a toe and then, a year later, more than that. Meanwhile, a friend of a friend in Rock Hill started dialysis at 58 and nobody could say quite when it had started. Somebody's uncle in Monroe kept a Coke in the truck and laughed about it. Nobody in those stories ever said type 2 diabetes, though. Instead, they said sugar. They said his kidneys. They said she lost a toe. They said he went blind in one eye first.

What the numbers look like around here

Gastonia, Rock Hill, Monroe, Kannapolis, Concord. Diabetes runs high across all of them. However, the studies on this page are not chasing your A1C alone. Two of the biggest are asking whether the right drug protects your kidneys and your heart over several years. So the thing being measured is closer to what those stories were actually about.

So why do people here fall behind?

  • The damage is quiet. Kidneys and eyes go first, and neither hurts. So there is no symptom pushing you to act until something is already gone.
  • The good drugs are expensive. GLP-1 and SGLT2 medicines are the ones that protect organs. Meanwhile, coverage for them is patchy and getting worse.
  • A 15 minute visit is not enough. Diabetes needs feet checked, eyes checked, kidneys checked, and a real conversation. However, that rarely fits in one appointment.
  • Nobody knows which drug is best. In fact, that is exactly why PRECIDENTD exists. The comparison has never been run properly.
  • Waiting feels free. It is not. Instead, it is a bill that arrives later, as dialysis, as an eye clinic, or as a toe.

What changed my mind about research

My grandfather had blood cancer. Because of that, our family looked into clinical trials, and it gave us more time with him. Of course, that is one family's story and not a promise. But it changed how I think about research. Previously, I had assumed a trial was a last resort. Instead, I learned it is often the earliest place a new option shows up.

Research is a care option

There is a saying in medicine that research is a care option, not a last resort. Generally, that is the honest frame here. You are not giving up your own doctor. Rather, you are adding a second set of eyes.

What you actually get

  • A full metabolic workup, including the blood work a regular checkup skips
  • A1C checked on a set schedule rather than whenever you remember
  • Heart and kidney checks, which is what most of these studies are actually measuring
  • A coordinator who calls when a result looks off
  • No cost, and no insurance needed
  • Roughly $100 a visit for your time

Add it up. Even in a placebo group you leave with a clearer picture of your kidneys and heart than most people get in a decade. Meanwhile, three of these studies have no placebo at all. So the question is not really whether research is worth a look. Instead, it is whether waiting another year is.

What Is Actually Being Tested for Type 2 Diabetes

Four different questions, and they are not the same question.

The Head to Head Studies, Where Nobody Gets a Placebo

Several studies here compare two real drugs rather than a drug against a sugar pill. PRECIDENTD does it with two whole drug classes already on the market. CagriSema does it against semaglutide. So in those studies, the worst outcome is that you get a treatment your doctor might have chosen anyway. Notably, that is not true of every study on this page, and each card says which is which.

Pills Instead of Shots

The biggest practical shift in diabetes right now is not a new molecule. Instead, it is the format. Aleniglipron is a once daily tablet aiming at what the weekly shots do. Elecoglipron is being tested against a semaglutide pill rather than an injection. In short, a pill you can keep in a drawer changes who is able to stay on treatment.

Protecting the Kidneys and the Heart, Not Just the Number

Two of the largest studies here barely care about your A1C. EASi-PROTKT is asking whether adding a tablet prevents heart failure. PRECIDENTD is asking which drug class protects the heart and kidneys better over about three years. As a result, they enrol people who already have heart disease, which is a group often left out.

Programs With No Drug At All

Not every study involves medicine. Some test coaching, apps, and nutrition support instead, and they are usually shorter. However, they generally pay less or nothing, because there is no drug and fewer clinic visits. We label those clearly, because the difference matters when you are weighing your time.

The Washout Nobody Warns You About

This is the rule that catches people out. Several of these studies will not take you if you have used a GLP-1 drug recently, and the window can be 6 months. Meanwhile, PRECIDENTD asks you to stop the one you are on so it can assign you a class. So tell the clinic exactly what you take, because it decides which studies are open to you.

Research Sites Near Charlotte

Not all of them run diabetes studies today. But sites add new studies all the time. So it is worth knowing what 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.

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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.

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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 Diabetes Study

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

01

Prescreening

First comes a short phone call or online form. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes. The staff check your diagnosis and what you take now. Then, if it fits, they book your first visit.

02

Screening Visit

Next the clinic runs an A1C and other blood work, checks your heart, and goes through the consent form line by line. Also, this visit is free, and you can still say no afterward.

03

Treatment Period

Then the study begins. You take the study drug, the comparison drug, or a placebo on the agreed schedule. Meanwhile, the clinic tracks your blood sugar, weight, and any side effects.

04

Follow-Up

Finally, there is a check-in period after treatment ends. The clinic makes sure your diabetes care is handed back properly. Also, you can withdraw at any point.

Type 2 Diabetes Trial FAQs

Real answers about type 2 diabetes studies near Charlotte NC.

How much do diabetes studies pay in Charlotte?

Most drug studies pay around $100 per visit for your time and travel. So a study running 76 weeks adds up differently than one running 6 months. However, the behavioral program on this page does not publish its payment, and it is usually less. The clinic gives you the full schedule before you agree to anything.

Will I get a placebo?

Sometimes, and it depends heavily on which study. Three of these have no placebo group at all, because they compare two real drugs head to head. Meanwhile, ACCOMPLISH-2 and the Novo dose finding study do include a placebo. So check the placebo line on each card, because it is the biggest difference between them.

Do I have to stop my current diabetes medicine?

Usually not, but PRECIDENTD is the exception. That one asks you to stop any GLP-1 or SGLT2 medicine so it can assign you a class. Meanwhile, most of the others test the study drug alongside what you already take. So tell the clinic exactly what you are on, because it decides which studies fit.

What if I take Ozempic or Mounjaro already?

Then several of these will not take you right now. The CagriSema study excludes anyone who used a GLP-1 in the past 6 months. However, others allow your usual background treatment to continue. In short, being on a GLP-1 narrows your options rather than closing them.

What A1C do I need?

It varies by study, and the range is wide. PRECIDENTD takes an A1C of 6 or above. Meanwhile, ACCOMPLISH-2 wants 6.5 to 10, and the dose finding study wants 7 to 10. So there is a study for well controlled diabetes and one for poorly controlled diabetes. The clinic checks it at screening.

Do I need insurance?

No. None of these require insurance. The study medicine and the study visits are provided at no cost. That matters more than it used to, because the drugs that protect kidneys and hearts are the expensive ones.

I feel fine. Why join a study?

Because the damage from diabetes is quiet at the start. Kidneys and eyes are usually affected before you notice anything. Meanwhile, two of the biggest studies here are specifically measuring organ protection over several years. So feeling fine is exactly when there is most left to protect.

How long do these studies last?

It ranges a lot. The behavioral program runs 6 months. Meanwhile, ACCOMPLISH-2 runs 76 weeks, and the two heart and kidney studies run about 3 to 4 years. Generally, the longer ones pay across the whole period. So check the length before you commit.

Is there a study if I do not have diabetes yet?

Yes, one. The CagriSema study takes people with a BMI of 35 or higher whether or not they have diabetes. So a partner or family member may fit even if their blood sugar is normal. Also, our obesity page lists more options like that.

Where can I get diabetes help near Charlotte NC?

Atrium Health and Novant Health both run diabetes education and endocrinology clinics across the metro. Also, ask specifically for a kidney check and a dilated eye exam, because those are the ones most often skipped. Your primary care doctor can refer you. Meanwhile, a certified diabetes educator is often covered when the drugs are not.

Ready to Explore a Study?

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

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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.

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