Hyperthyroidism happens when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone, causing symptoms like rapid heartbeat, weight loss, anxiety, and heat intolerance. The most common cause is Graves' disease, an autoimmune condition. Treatment usually involves antithyroid medications, radioactive iodine, or surgery, with most people managing well on existing options.
What's actually going on in research
Current trials focus on treating Graves' eye disease, which can persist even after thyroid hormone levels are controlled. Researchers are testing monoclonal antibodies that target the immune system differently than existing treatments. Studies also explore better ways to predict which people will go into remission with medication, and new approaches to thyroid nodules that cause hyperthyroidism.
Graves' eye disease treatments
Teprotumumab, an antibody targeting IGF-1 receptor, received FDA approval in 2020 for active Graves' eye disease. Trials are now testing whether it works for milder cases and whether other antibodies can achieve similar results with fewer infusions.
Predicting remission
Studies are identifying biomarkers that might predict which people with Graves' disease will stay in remission after stopping antithyroid drugs. This could help people avoid radioactive iodine or surgery if their disease is likely to resolve.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on thyroid hormone levels, whether Graves' disease or nodules are the cause, presence of eye disease, and prior treatments received.
What types of trials are currently open
- Graves' eye disease trials — Testing antibody treatments and other therapies for the eye problems that can accompany Graves' disease, including bulging eyes and double vision.
- Treatment comparison trials — Comparing antithyroid medications, radioactive iodine, and surgery to see which works best for different groups of people.
- Biomarker studies — Looking for blood markers or genetic patterns that predict whether hyperthyroidism will come back after treatment stops.
- Nodule treatment trials — Testing less invasive options for thyroid nodules that cause hyperthyroidism, such as radiofrequency ablation or ethanol injection.
- Quality of life studies — Measuring how hyperthyroidism and its treatments affect daily life, work capacity, and mental health over time.
Recently added Hyperthyroidism trials
Take an experimental injection for thyroid eye disease
The primary objective of study is to investigate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of ETHY-001 in healthy volunteers and participants with Thyroid Eye Disease after single subcutaneous doses.
Complete two imaging scans to help evaluate thyroid eye disease
Thyroid eye disease is an autoimmune disorder that can cause inflammation and fibrosis of the extraocular muscles and orbital tissues. Accurate assessment of disease activity is important for treatment planning, but commonly used clinical scores and conventional imaging each have limitations. This prospective single-center cohort study will evaluate two molecular imaging approaches, gallium-68-labeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (68Ga-FAPI) PET/CT and PET/MR and gallium-68 DOTATATE somatostatin receptor PET/CT and PET/MR, in adults with thyroid eye disease and in a control group without thyroid-related or orbital disease. The study will compare visual and quantitative imaging findings, including maximum standardized uptake value and target-to-background ratio in the extraocular muscles, and examine their associations with clinical activity score and extraocular muscle thickness. The study aims to characterize the ability of these imaging methods, separately and in combination, to assess thyroid eye disease activity.
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