Current type 2 diabetes (T2D) clinical trials are investigating new treatments, including diets and investigational drugs. Medical devices such as glucose monitors must also undergo clinical trials before being sold to the public.
Every year, clinical trials are conducted by researchers and doctors around the country to find new ways to treat T2D. The current clinical trials for T2D summarized below represent a wide variety of approaches and new ways to monitor and control blood sugar levels.
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Diets for Type 2 Diabetes
Diet plays a significant role in managing blood sugar levels. With this, researchers are looking into different diets that can be used to help manage and treat T2D. One of these diets is time-restricted feeding, which has been shown to improve blood sugar levels and help the body properly use insulin.
A handful of clinical trials are currently investigating time-restricted feeding, including:
- A small interventional clinical trial is recruiting 30 people with T2D that will compare fasting between 4:00 am to 4:00 pm to eating as wanted or needed (ad libitum).1
- A small interventional clinical trial is recruiting 60 people with T2D that will compare a group that eats within an 8-hour window during the day to a group that cuts calories by 15 percent.2
Another study is looking into the effects of the ketogenic (keto) diet in people with T2D. This diet requires participants to eat a large portion of fats in their diet, with less protein and carbohydrates. This small study is enrolling 30 participants that will be placed on either a standard or ketogenic diet.3
Medications for Type 2 Diabetes
New medications are also being studied for treating T2D. One study is investigating the oral drug RGT001-075, a GLP1 receptor agonist that helps trigger the release of insulin in the body. The FDA has already approved several other GLP1 agonists, including dulaglutide (Trulicity®) and semaglutide (Ozempic®).4 However, these are mainly injectable medications, while RGT001-075 is given as a pill. The phase 2 study is currently active and not recruiting participants at this time.5
Medical Devices for Type 2 Diabetes
Clinical trials are also conducted to ensure medical devices are safe and effective. There are currently a handful of clinical trials investigating the use of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) in people with T2D. One of these studies is investigating the Dexcom G6 Pro CGM in those who don’t use insulin therapies to manage their T2D.6
Enrolling in Type 2 Diabetes Clinical Trials
Find Clinical Trials Near Me
Interested in clinical trials? Simply search by postal code and type of condition to see what’s going on in your area.
Before joining a T2D clinical trial, you first need to weigh the benefits and risks of participating. Some people join trials looking for new ways to treat their condition, while others enjoy participating in the advancement of medicine and research. Your decision to participate in a clinical trial should ultimately be what’s best for you.
Eligibility for Type 2 Diabetes Clinical Trials
To qualify for a clinical trial, you must meet certain criteria. These are known as inclusion and exclusion criteria, which are chosen by the study investigators to help keep participants safe.
Inclusion criteria are requirements you must meet to join a study. Examples of inclusion criteria in some T2D trials include:1,2
- Adult male and female participants 18 to 65 years old
- HbA1c level of 8.0 or higher
- Have had diabetes for 10 years or less
Exclusion criteria make you ineligible to participate in a study. Examples of exclusion criteria in certain T2D clinical trials include:1,2
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Advanced-stage kidney disease, heart failure, or cirrhosis of the liver
- Episodes of severely low blood sugar in the last 12 months
