Type 2 diabetes affects more than 500 million people worldwide and occurs when the body can't properly use insulin or doesn't make enough of it. Treatment has expanded beyond metformin and insulin to include GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide and SGLT2 inhibitors, which can reduce blood sugar, protect the heart and kidneys, and help with weight loss.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing new combinations of existing drug classes, weekly or monthly formulations of GLP-1 drugs, dual and triple hormone treatments that mimic multiple gut hormones, and beta cell replacement approaches. Researchers are also studying ways to prevent progression to diabetes in people with prediabetes and how to address the disease's effects on the brain, liver, and other organs.
Multi-hormone treatments
Drugs that activate both GLP-1 and GIP receptors, like tirzepatide, are showing greater blood sugar control and weight loss than single-hormone treatments. Triple-hormone drugs that also activate glucagon receptors are now in trials.
Beta cell therapies
Researchers are testing stem cell–derived insulin-producing cells that could be implanted to restore natural insulin production. Other trials are exploring drugs that protect or regenerate the body's remaining beta cells.
Once-monthly injections
Several companies are developing GLP-1 drugs that require only one injection per month instead of weekly. Early results show similar blood sugar and weight effects with less frequent dosing.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on A1C level, time since diagnosis, current medications, body mass index, and presence of complications like kidney or heart disease.
What types of trials are currently open
- Drug combination trials — Testing whether combining different diabetes drug classes works better than individual treatments, and finding the safest combinations.
- New formulation trials — Studies of longer-acting versions of existing drugs, such as monthly GLP-1 injections or oral forms of medications currently given by injection.
- Cardiovascular outcome trials — Large studies following people for years to see whether diabetes drugs reduce heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular death.
- Prevention trials — Testing whether drugs or lifestyle programs can prevent or delay diabetes in people with prediabetes or other risk factors.
- Technology trials — Studies of continuous glucose monitors, insulin pumps, and automated insulin delivery systems for people with type 2 diabetes who use insulin.
Recently added Type 2 Diabetes trials
Try an anti-inflammatory eating plan to reduce diabetes-related inflammation
The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether an evidence-based anti-inflammatory dietary intervention can reduce inflammation and improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). T2DM is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by elevated blood glucose levels and is closely associated with chronic low-grade inflammation. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does an anti-inflammatory dietary intervention reduce levels of hs-CRP, a key marker of chronic inflammation, in patients with T2DM? Does the intervention improve dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores and glycemic outcomes, including fasting blood glucose and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose? Researchers will compare an anti-inflammatory diet intervention group to a standard diabetes dietary control group to determine whether the anti-inflammatory dietary pattern provides additional benefits beyond routine dietary management. Participants will: Be randomly assigned to either the anti-inflammatory diet group or the standard diabetes diet group Receive dietary guidance based on structured anti-inflammatory food recommendations or routine diabetes dietary advice Complete dietary assessments, including 24-hour dietary recalls to calculate dietary inflammatory index (DII) Provide blood samples to measure hs-CRP, fasting blood glucose, and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose at baseline and after 4 weeks Complete questionnaires on dietary adherence and quality of life Participate in a 4-week intervention period with follow-up assessments
Test an experimental insulin patch pump with built-in glucose monitor
This research study is testing an investigational dual-port insulin patch pump that integrates a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) in adults with type 1 diabetes. The goal of the study is to better understand how insulin delivery near a CGM sensor affects glucose readings and to collect data to support development of a combined insulin pump and CGM system. People with type 1 diabetes require lifelong insulin therapy. Many use insulin pumps and CGMs, but these systems usually involve wearing multiple devices at different body sites. Managing several devices can increase treatment burden and may contribute to skin irritation, device failures, and challenges with glucose control. This study is conducted in two in-patient parts. In Part A, participants will wear three investigational devices at the same time while glucose levels are closely monitored using laboratory blood tests and a commercial CGM. This part of the study is designed to measure how basal and bolus insulin delivery near the CGM sensor affects sensor accuracy and how quickly the sensor signal recovers after insulin delivery. In Part B, participants will wear one investigational device while trained study staff use CGM information from the integrated sensor to guide insulin delivery recommendations generated by an automated glucose control algorithm. Insulin delivery decisions will be closely supervised, and glucose levels will be frequently monitored. Participants will stay at the clinical research center for short, controlled study visits. Safety will be monitored throughout the study, with predefined procedures for treating low or high blood sugar. The information collected will be used to support further development of an integrated insulin pump and CGM system for people with type 1 diabetes.
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