Why Asthma Research Is Expanding Right Now
Asthma affects roughly 25 million people across the United States, and despite the wide availability of inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting bronchodilators, a significant portion of patients continue to experience uncontrolled symptoms. That persistent gap between available treatments and real-world outcomes is what drives the current wave of clinical research.
In April 2026, the FDA approved Breztri Aerosphere — a triple-combination inhaler — as the first and only single-inhaler triple therapy for asthma patients aged 12 and older. The approval rested on the Phase III KALOS and LOGOS trials, which demonstrated that Breztri offered clinically meaningful improvements in lung function compared with standard dual therapy. This kind of milestone illustrates how clinical trials serve as the pipeline that eventually brings new options into everyday care.
At the same time, research into biologics continues to accelerate. The CHRONICLE study, conducted across multiple U.S. sites, has been examining how biologic medications perform across different age groups and sexes, providing real-world evidence that complements the controlled environment of randomized trials. For patients with severe eosinophilic or allergic asthma, biologics like tezepelumab and depemokimab represent a shift in how the disease is managed — and many of these therapies are still being evaluated in active studies recruiting across the country.
The Kinds of Asthma Trials You Might Encounter
Not all clinical trials are created equal, and understanding the terminology can help you assess whether a particular study fits your situation.
Phase I trials are the earliest stage, typically involving a small group of healthy volunteers or patients. The primary goal is safety — researchers want to know how the body processes the drug and what side effects might emerge. These are rarely the first stop for someone with asthma unless the condition is severe and other options have been exhausted.
Phase II studies expand to a larger group and begin to focus on whether the treatment actually works for the intended condition. If you see a trial described as "dose-ranging," it is likely Phase II.
Phase III trials are the ones most people encounter. These involve hundreds or even thousands of participants across multiple sites, often including research centers in major U.S. cities like Chicago, New York, Phoenix, and Durham. The KALOS and LOGOS trials that led to Breztri's approval were Phase III studies. These trials compare the new treatment against either a placebo or the current standard of care.
Phase IV — sometimes called post-marketing surveillance — happens after a drug is already approved. The PASSAGE study, conducted across the United States, is a Phase IV real-world study evaluating tezepelumab in severe asthma patients, including groups historically underrepresented in research such as Black/African American participants and adolescents.
There are also pragmatic trials and real-world evidence studies that focus less on ideal conditions and more on how treatments perform in everyday clinical settings. The American Lung Association's Airways Clinical Research Centers (ALA ACRC) network runs several of these, including the TRIM trial investigating roflumilast for adults with poorly controlled asthma and elevated BMI.
Where to Find Studies That Are Recruiting
The most comprehensive starting point is ClinicalTrials.gov, a database maintained by the National Library of Medicine. You can search by condition ("asthma"), narrow by recruitment status ("recruiting" or "not yet recruiting"), and filter by location using your city or ZIP code. The site can feel overwhelming at first, but a few tips help: use the "Condition or disease" field for the term "asthma," leave the "Other terms" field for specifics like "biologic" or "severe," and always check the "recruiting" box under recruitment status.
Beyond the federal database, the American Lung Association maintains a searchable listing of trials through its ALA ACRC network, with research centers in Arizona, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, and Vermont. These centers often run studies that are specifically designed to answer practical questions about asthma management rather than simply test a pharmaceutical product.
Local academic medical centers are another resource. Institutions like the University of Michigan, Duke University, Northwestern University, and the University of Arizona operate dedicated asthma and airway disease research programs. Contacting their pulmonary or allergy departments directly can sometimes surface trials that are still in the early recruitment phase and not yet widely listed.
For those who prefer a more streamlined approach, platforms like HelloStudy aggregate trial listings and allow you to submit basic information to see if you pre-qualify. These services are free to use and typically pass your details along to the research site coordinator, who then reaches out to schedule a screening call.
What the Screening Process Actually Looks Like
Once you express interest in a trial, the first step is a screening visit — sometimes called a pre-screening phone call followed by an in-person assessment. The research team will review your medical history, current medications, and asthma control status. Expect to answer detailed questions about how often you use your rescue inhaler, whether you have been hospitalized for asthma in the past year, and what maintenance medications you are currently taking.
Most trials have specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. For example, the TRIM study requires participants to be 18 or older with poorly controlled asthma and an elevated BMI. Other trials might require a certain eosinophil count, a history of exacerbations despite using medium-to-high-dose inhaled corticosteroids, or specific lung function measurements on spirometry.
The screening visit often includes breathing tests, questionnaires about your symptoms and quality of life, and sometimes blood draws. You will be asked to sign an informed consent document before any study-related procedures begin. This document is not a contract — you can withdraw at any time — but it does outline the purpose of the study, what will be expected of you, and the known risks.
Costs, Compensation, and the Practical Side
One of the most common questions people ask is whether clinical trials cost money. In the United States, the study sponsor typically covers the cost of the investigational drug and any study-related procedures, including doctor visits, lab tests, and imaging. Routine care that you would need regardless of the trial — such as your regular asthma medications — is usually billed to your insurance as normal.
Compensation for time and travel is common but varies widely. Some studies offer a stipend for each completed visit; others reimburse mileage and parking. The COPD-OMA trial through the American Lung Association, for instance, explicitly states that compensation is available for in-person visits. Overnight studies, where participants stay at a research facility for monitoring, often provide higher compensation due to the time commitment involved. The exact amount should be disclosed during the informed consent process — if it is not, ask the study coordinator directly.
A table comparing different types of asthma trials can help clarify what to expect:
| Trial Type | Typical Duration | Participant Profile | Key Benefit | Key Consideration |
|---|
| Biologic therapy trial | 6–12 months | Moderate to severe, often eosinophilic | Access to cutting-edge antibody therapies | Frequent injections or infusions required |
| Inhaler comparison trial | 3–6 months | Mild to moderate persistent asthma | May improve daily symptom control | Possible placebo arm |
| Lifestyle/behavioral trial | 3–12 months | Any severity, often with comorbidities | Non-pharmacologic; focuses on self-management | Time-intensive education sessions |
| Real-world evidence study | 12–52 weeks | Broad, including underrepresented groups | Closely mirrors actual clinical practice | Less tightly controlled; open-label design |
Risks Worth Considering
Every clinical trial carries uncertainty. The investigational treatment may not work better than what you are already using, and there is always the possibility of unexpected side effects. In randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, you may receive a placebo instead of the active drug — though many asthma trials use an "add-on" design where all participants continue their standard controller medications alongside either the study drug or placebo.
The time commitment can also be substantial. Some trials require weekly visits for the first month, followed by monthly check-ins. Others involve daily symptom diaries, peak flow measurements, or electronic monitoring devices. Before enrolling, ask the coordinator for a schedule of all required visits and procedures so you can assess whether the commitment fits your life.
There is also the emotional dimension. Some participants feel disappointed if the treatment does not help them personally, even if the overall study results are positive. Others find the frequent monitoring intrusive. Being honest with yourself about your tolerance for these uncertainties is part of making a sound decision.
Making the Decision That Fits You
Talk to your current pulmonologist or allergist before committing to a trial. They can help you weigh whether the investigational treatment aligns with your asthma phenotype and treatment history. Some doctors are directly involved in research and may be able to refer you to studies they trust. Others may be more cautious and prefer to see more data before recommending a trial.
When you speak with a research coordinator, here are the questions worth asking: What phase is this trial, and what do we already know about the treatment? How many visits are required, and where do they take place? What happens if my asthma worsens during the study — will I be taken off the trial and offered standard care? Is there compensation for travel, and how is it structured? Can I continue seeing my regular doctor during the study?
The American Lung Association's clinical trial listing page and the ClinicalTrials.gov database remain the most reliable starting points for finding studies that are actively recruiting. If you live near a major research center — University of Arizona in Tucson, Northwestern in Chicago, Mount Sinai in New York, Duke in Durham, or the University of Vermont in Burlington — those institutions run some of the most well-regarded asthma research programs in the country.
For many people with asthma, participating in a trial ends up being about more than the treatment itself. It is about contributing to a body of knowledge that may help the next person breathe a little easier. As one participant in the NIMBLE trial put it, the experience of testing a twice-yearly injection — and finding that it worked as well as monthly treatments — changed not just her asthma control but her sense of what was possible.
研究の知恵