COLUMBIA, SC
Bipolar Disorder Clinical Trials
No study for this is enrolling in the Columbia SC metro, and we would rather say so plainly. The nearest of any kind is about seventy five miles away at Augusta, and two more run at Charlotte. Payment is provided for eligible participants once one opens here.
0
Open in the Midlands
75
Miles to the Nearest
+/- $100
Per Visit
New here? Read how this page works
First, here is the honest picture. Nothing is open in the Midlands, and the nearest options run in two different directions. So here is how to use this page.
- Ask whether you keep your antipsychotic or come off it. Because the two studies at Charlotte answer that very differently.
- Ask whether it is open label or uses a dummy. Notably, two of the three options here give everyone the real drug.
- Count the driving before you agree. In fact, ninety miles each way over ten or more visits adds up to a great many hours.
- Finally, tap the button. Then we keep your details on file and call you when a study opens near you.
Of course, checking never signs you up for anything. You are only seeing where you might fit.
The Nearest Studies to Columbia
Nothing in the Midlands. The closest is about seventy five miles south west, and two more sit about ninety miles north.
The closest one, and it lists bipolar by name
It treats the movements that can follow years of antipsychotic treatment. It is open label, so everyone receives the real drug, and your usual medicine carries on.
For Involuntary Movements, and It Takes Bipolar
Neurocrine Biosciences / Approved drug study
Years of antipsychotic treatment can leave twitching movements of the face, tongue or hands. This study lists bipolar disorder by name as an eligible diagnosis, which many people do not expect. It is open label, so everyone gets the real drug and everyone knows it. Your usual medicine carries on unchanged. The site at Augusta is about an hour and a quarter from Columbia.
Payment is not published.
Get on the list →More details
Why researchers are excited: it is the closest open study of any kind to the Midlands on this subject. Meanwhile, there is no dummy, no washout and no admission in it.
Who this study is looking for
- Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or depression, diagnosed three months ago or more
- Also, twitching movements from antipsychotic treatment for at least three months
- Besides that, still symptomatic on one of the approved treatments, or recently off one
- Finally, aged 18 or over, with no upper limit
Probably not a fit if: another movement problem that is more prominent rules you out. Also, moderate or severe substance use in the last six months. Notably, no suicidality exclusion is published for this one, which is unusual.
- Placebo group: None. It is open label and single group.
- How long: Twenty four weeks.
- Clinic visits: Roughly 6 to 9 in person. Only the start and week 24 are published, so treat that as an estimate.
- Phone calls: None published.
- Most invasive part: A blood test and a heart tracing. So this is one of the lightest studies on our whole site.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: Neurocrine clinical site, Augusta GA 30912.
- Drive from Columbia: Augusta is about 75 miles south west, so roughly an hour and fifteen minutes on I-20.
- This is a separate problem with its own treatments. Two are already approved, so ask your own prescriber about them whether or not a study fits.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
And the two nearest for bipolar depression
Both run at Charlotte, about ninety miles north. One is open label with no dummy, and the other asks you to come off your current medicine first.
Open Label, So Nobody Gets a Dummy
AbbVie / Mid stage capsule
Everyone in this one receives the real drug, for twenty six weeks, and everyone knows it. There is no dummy, no assigning and no lottery of any kind. However, be clear about what it is measuring, which is side effects rather than benefit. The site is listed with the word inpatient in its name, and the study is outpatient. In fact, it excludes anyone in hospital in the last three months.
Payment is not published.
Get on the list →More details
Why researchers are excited: an open label study with no dummy is the most a relief shape there is for a worried family. Meanwhile, safety over six months is a real question that has to be answered somewhere.
Who this study is looking for
- Bipolar I or bipolar II without psychotic features
- Also, currently in a depressive episode lasting four weeks to twelve months
- Besides that, A mania score of 12 or under at the start
- Finally, no hospital admission or intensive outpatient care in the last three months
- Also, aged 18 to 65
Probably not a fit if: any lifetime psychotic feature rules you out. So a single past episode with delusions or hallucinations closes it, and that is common in bipolar I. Also, moderate or severe substance use in the last six months.
- Placebo group: None at all. It is open label and single group, so everyone receives the real drug.
- How long: Twenty six weeks of treatment, then a thirty day safety follow up.
- Clinic visits: Roughly 11 to 15 in person across about twenty nine weeks. That is derived from the assessments required, because no visit schedule is published.
- Phone calls: None published.
- Most invasive part: Repeated heart tracings, blood tests and eye examinations. So the eye examination is unusual in a mental health study, and you are entitled to ask why.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: New Hope Clinical Research, Charlotte NC 28211.
- Drive from Columbia: Charlotte is about 93 miles north, so roughly an hour and a half on I-77.
- Ask about your current medicine. The prohibited list is not published, so whether you come off what you take now is a real gap you must get answered first.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
A New Mechanism, but You Come Off Everything First
Xenon Pharmaceuticals / Late stage tablet
This tests a new kind of drug for the depressed side of bipolar disorder. It opens a potassium channel, which is nothing like lithium or an antipsychotic. However, you have to stop your current medicine first, for a week or five half lives. For some drugs that means weeks, and then half the group receives a dummy.
Payment is not published.
Get on the list →More details
Why researchers are excited: new mechanisms in bipolar depression are rare, and the treatment period itself is only six weeks. Meanwhile, we would rather set out the washout plainly than let anyone discover it at screening.
Who this study is looking for
- Bipolar I or bipolar II, currently in a depressive episode
- Also, that episode lasting four weeks to twelve months
- Besides that, A mania score of 12 or under, so not currently high
- Finally, A first low episode before you were 50
- Also, aged 18 to 74
Probably not a fit if: any other mental health diagnosis appears to rule you out. So PTSD, OCD, ADHD or panic disorder can all close this. Also, two failed treatments in this episode, and self harm in the last year.
- Placebo group: Yes, and it is taken alone, so the dummy group is on nothing else.
- How long: Six weeks of treatment, with the main measure at the end.
- Clinic visits: Roughly 8 to 10 in person. Only three timepoints are published, so the weekly rhythm is derived rather than stated.
- Phone calls: None published.
- Most invasive part: The washout itself, not any procedure. So the worst thing is a blood test, plus being off treatment while possibly on a dummy.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: DelRicht Research, Charlotte NC 28210.
- Drive from Columbia: Charlotte is about 93 miles north, so roughly an hour and a half on I-77.
- Ask for the washout in days. Five half lives of a long acting drug is far longer than a week, and that number decides it.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
Not sure which one fits you?
First, answer a few quick health questions. Then we keep them on file. Finally, we tell you which studies near Columbia you may fit. No account, no paperwork.
See if I may fit one of these studies →What Is Actually Changing in Bipolar Treatment
Almost all the new work is aimed at the low side, where people spend most of their time and get least help.
The Depressed Side Is Where the Research Is
People with this spend far more time low than high. That is where help is thinnest. So both studies open near Charlotte are for the low side rather than the high one. Meanwhile, nothing for a high episode is open within reach of either city. Notably, the nearest mania studies generally require a hospital stay of several weeks.
Do I Stay on My Medication Is the Whole Question
One study near Charlotte asks you to stop your tablets first. The other has no dummy at all. So two studies fifteen minutes apart carry very different risks. In fact, nobody will volunteer that difference unless you ask directly.
Open Label Means Everyone Gets the Drug
It is the phrase worth listening for. Open label means no dummy, no assigning and no uncertainty about what you are taking. So one of the two Charlotte studies is exactly that. Meanwhile, the other is placebo controlled, and the odds are not published.
A Mania Score of Twelve Is a Low Bar
Both open studies exclude anyone scoring above twelve on the mania scale at the start. So being even mildly irritable or wired on screening day can end it. Also, people sometimes pass on the first visit and fail on the second. Generally, that is the most common screen failure in bipolar research.
A Safety Study Is Not an Efficacy Study
One of the Charlotte studies is measuring side effects over six months rather than whether you improve. Every one of its main measures is a safety measure. So you may well benefit, and proving benefit is not what it is designed to do. Notably, that is worth knowing before you sign.
Other Diagnoses Can Close the Door
One study here rules out any other mental health diagnosis. So PTSD, OCD, ADHD, panic disorder or an eating disorder can all end your candidacy. In a real bipolar population that removes a great many people. So bring your full history to the first phone call rather than the screening visit.
Having Tried More Things Can Count Against You
One study excludes anyone who has failed two adequate treatments in the current episode. So the people who most want a trial are frequently the ones this removes. Meanwhile, that is a design choice rather than a judgement. Also, it is worth asking about before you count on anything.
Self Harm Without Suicidal Intent Is Treated Separately
One study excludes self injury without intent to die within the last twelve months. That surprises people, especially younger patients, because it is not a suicide attempt. So ask about the exact wording rather than assuming you are ruled out. In fact, the two Charlotte studies differ sharply on this.
Ask What Gets Measured That Is Not Mental health
One study here includes repeated eye examinations alongside heart tracings and blood tests. When a mental health study adds an eye doctor, there is a reason. So you are entitled to ask what safety signal is being watched. Meanwhile, a good site will answer that straightforwardly.
Where Things Actually Stand Locally
Two studies are open in Charlotte, both for bipolar depression and both a short drive from uptown. The Midlands has none, and every search on the word Columbia returned New York, Missouri or Canada. So for a Columbia family the nearest options are about ninety minutes north. However, if things ever feel unsafe, calling or texting 988 reaches the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at any hour, and that is not a study.
Bipolar Help Near You
Ask whether you keep your antipsychotic or come off it, and get the answer in days. Also, ask whether the study is open label or placebo controlled, because that is the real difference here. Finally, count the driving before you agree, because ninety minutes each way adds up over ten visits. Meanwhile, join the list and we will call you when something opens near you.
Research Sites Near Columbia
Nothing runs in the Midlands for bipolar disorder, while the nearest sites sit at Augusta and Charlotte. But sites add new studies all the time.
Prisma Health Richland Hospital
Downtown Columbia / 37+ active studies
Cancer, blood disorders, broad hospital research
The flagship Prisma Health hospital in the Midlands. Also, by far the biggest trial operation in the Columbia metro.
Visit Website →
University of South Carolina
Columbia / 27+ active studies
Stroke recovery, physical activity, community health
Notably, a research university that runs federally funded health studies across the Midlands. Specifically, topics range from stroke rehab to disease prevention.
Visit Website →
Bogan Sleep Consultants
Columbia / 7+ active studies
Narcolepsy, sleep disorders
One of the best known private sleep research sites in the Southeast. Also, it has run sleep trials for decades.
Prisma Health Midlands Cardiovascular
Columbia / 4+ active studies
Cardiovascular disease, heart failure
The heart and vessel research arm of Prisma Health in the Midlands. So it is the natural home for cholesterol trials in Columbia.
Visit Website →
Prisma Health Children’s Hospital, Midlands
Columbia / 4+ active studies
Pediatric growth, cystic fibrosis
Basically, the Midlands hub for children’s research inside the Prisma Health system.
Visit Website →
Columbia Dermatology & Aesthetics
Columbia / 4+ active studies
Hidradenitis suppurativa, psoriasis, obesity
A skin care practice with its own research team. It runs both skin and weight studies.
Velocity Clinical Research, Columbia
Columbia / Multiple active studies
COPD, skin conditions, vaccines
Part of one of the biggest research site networks in the country. Besides, it is just the kind of site the huge outcome trials lean on.
Visit Website →
Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center
Garners Ferry Road, Columbia / 2+ active studies
Atherosclerosis, liver disease
Columbia’s VA medical center runs studies, including ones on clogged arteries. For veterans, it is often the first door.
Visit Website →
Objective Health, Columbia
Columbia / 2+ active studies
Celiac disease, fatty liver disease
Once called Columbia Digestive Health Research. Now it is part of the Objective Health network. Specifically, it runs gut and liver studies, including fatty liver trials.
Columbia Gastroenterology Associates
Columbia / Active studies
Digestive conditions
A long-running gut health practice. Also, it takes part in digestive trials around Columbia.
What to Expect in a Bipolar 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.
Bipolar Trial FAQs
Real answers about bipolar disorder studies near Columbia SC.
Is there a study for this near Columbia?
No, and we will not pretend otherwise. Six of the eight results on the word Columbia were somewhere else entirely. However, one runs at Augusta about seventy five miles away, treating the movements, and it lists bipolar by name. Two more for the low side run at Charlotte, about ninety miles north. Notably, nothing for mania is open in any direction within reach.
Are these studies for the high side or the low side?
Both open studies near here are for the depressed side, which is where people spend most of their time. So nothing for a manic episode is open within reach of either city. Meanwhile, the nearest mania studies generally require several weeks as a hospital inpatient. Notably, that is worth knowing before anyone plans a journey.
Do I stay on my medicine?
That is the whole question, and the two studies near Charlotte answer it differently. One requires you to stop antidepressants, mood stabilisers and medicines first. The other has no dummy at all and everyone receives the real drug. So two studies fifteen minutes apart carry very different risks.
What does open label mean?
It means no dummy, no assigning at random and no uncertainty about what you are taking. So one of the two studies near Charlotte is exactly that. Meanwhile, the other uses a dummy and the odds are not published. In fact, that is the single most a relief word a worried family can hear.
What is the mania score they check?
It is a short clinician rated scale, and both open studies exclude anyone above twelve on it. So being even mildly irritable or wired on screening day can end it. Also, people sometimes pass on the first visit and fail on the second. Generally, that is the most common screen failure in this field.
Can having tried more treatments count against me?
Yes, and it surprises people. One study excludes anyone who has failed two adequate treatments in the current episode. So the people who most want a study are often the ones that rule removes. Meanwhile, it is a design choice rather than a judgement about you.
Why would a study include eye tests?
Because there is a reason, and you are entitled to ask what it is. One study near Charlotte repeats eye examinations alongside heart tracings and blood tests. So when a mental health study brings in an eye doctor, something specific is being watched. Notably, a good site will answer that question straightforwardly.
What if I need help right now?
If things ever feel unsafe, call or text 988 at any hour. That reaches the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and Veterans can press 1. So it is free, it runs day and night, and it is not a study. Meanwhile, a study is never the right route for something urgent.
Does it cost anything to check?
No. There is no cost, and no insurance is needed. Tether is a nonprofit list, so we do not run studies and we are not paid to send you anywhere. Also, checking never enrolls anyone in anything. You would always call the clinic yourself.
Where can I get help near Columbia?
Prisma Health and Lexington Medical Center both run mental health services across the Midlands. Also, bring your full history to any first call, because other diagnoses exclude people from one of these. Generally, a psychiatry team rather than a general practice is the right route. Meanwhile, if things ever feel unsafe, call or text 988 at any hour.
Ready to Explore a Study?
Check your eligibility, or just reach out to our Columbia team. No pressure. Also, no sales pitch.
← Back to All Clinical TrialsSources
- X-CEED, a new mechanism taken on its own, in Charlotte, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07172516
- An open label safety study with no dummy, in Charlotte, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07220460
- An open label study for the movements, at Augusta, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07105111
- A mania study whose Charlotte site has been withdrawn, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06951711
Study details and per-site recruiting status verified against ClinicalTrials.gov on August 17, 2026. Two studies for acute mania read as open at the headline while their Charlotte site rows read withdrawn. Had the headline been trusted, this page would have claimed four open studies and would have wrongly told people in a manic episode there was a local option. Six of eight results on the word Columbia were New York, Missouri or Canada. One Charlotte site is named with the word inpatient in its title while the study itself is outpatient and excludes anyone in hospital in the past three months; that is stated on its card. No study in this set publishes a depression score threshold, and we have not invented one. Study availability and criteria change; the research clinic confirms everything before you enroll.