The current studies at the Asthma Research Center are open for enrollment unless otherwise noted. The Asthma Research Center runs multiple studies and each study varies in duration and compensation is up to $1,735 for your time and effort.
To see if you are eligible for any of our studies, please contact us at 617-732-8201 or via e-mail at ARC@partners.org or Click HERE to complete our survey and see if you qualify to participate.
Screening for Participation in Asthma Research Studies
The purpose of the study is to identify subjects for participation in the current asthma research studies listed below and any future studies. The study visit involves gathering information about your asthma and related medical conditions. Participants will be compensated $25-$50 for this visit.
Read More
Investigating Dupilumab’s Effect in Asthma by genotype (IDEA)
This Phase 4 clinical research study is examining the FDA-approved drug Dupixent (Dupilimab) and biomarkers in people with moderate to severe asthma. The study aims to compare the effect that the study drug (Dupixent vs. placebo) has on asthma exacerbations. The study team is looking to understand if the underlying presence of these biomarkers in your blood might indicate a more positive response to the study drug when compared to people who do not have this biomarker present.
Participants should be prescribed Inhaled Corticosteroids (such as Flovent, Pulmicort, QVAR, Advair, or Symbicort).
Participants will have at least 9 visits over an 18-month period. The study will provide all participants with Dulera and study drug for them to self-administer at no cost. Participants will be compensated up to $870.
Read More
FLAIR
The FLAIR study is investigating a new approach to rescue medications by comparing an Albuterol-only inhaler to a combination inhaler (Fluticasone Propionate and Albuterol). This study will help us learn if this combination inhaler reduces severe asthma attacks compared to standard ‘reliever’ medications. The findings from this study may lead to better treatment options and help other people with asthma in the future. This is a Phase III clinical study sponsored by TEVA Pharmaceuticals.
Participants will have a minimum study treatment period of 24 weeks but for some participants it may be longer. There will be 3 onsite morning visits within the first 6 weeks of the study. After this initial period, onsite morning visits will occur once every 12 weeks with 1 phone call every 4 weeks (between visits). Participants can expect to complete daily e-diaries (a handheld electronic device) and measure their lung function using a peak flow meter (a small device that you blow air into). Study drug will be provided at no cost. Participants will be compensated up to $600 for their participation. Participants will be given parking vouchers for the BWH garages.
AIRCULES
The AIRCULES study is a clinical trial to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a new add-on therapy in moderate to severe asthma that is not well controlled. By choosing to volunteer for this study, you can help us learn if this new injectable add-on therapy will lead to better asthma control in people with moderate to severe asthma. We are looking for people who take daily maintenance inhalers and have used prednisone (or a similar steroid medication) for symptoms of an asthma attack in the past year. The findings from this study may lead to better treatment options and help other people with asthma in the future. This is a Phase II clinical study sponsored by SANOFI.
Participants will receive an injection of either the investigational drug or a placebo. There will be 16 onsite visits over approximately 12 months. Participants will be asked to complete daily e-diaries (a handheld electronic device) and measure their lung function using a peak flow meter (a small device that you blow air into). The study sponsor will cover copays for approved asthma medications taken by study participants for the duration of the trial. Compensation for participation is up to $2400 and parking during study visits is covered by vouchers for the BWH garages.
Read More
Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in COPD Study
Blood flow within the lungs may be an important contributor to lung diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema. The purpose of this study is to test whether taking antiplatelet medications (a baby aspirin and clopidogrel) can improve the blood flow in the lungs of people with and without COPD and emphysema. We are recruiting people aged 50-75 who are former smokers. Some people participating in this study will have no lung disease and some will have COPD and emphysema. Participants will come to the hospital for 3 visits. On the first visit they will give a blood and urine sample, have height and weight measured and breathing tests done. If they meet criteria then they will be given medications to take at home for 2 weeks before coming back. The second visit includes blood work, breathing tests and CT scans that use IV contrast, and they will be given different medications to take at home for 2 weeks before coming back to do the same tests again at the third visit. The medications will either be two antiplatelet medications taken together or placebo, with no active medications. Participants will be reimbursed up to $100 for each visit (up to $300 in total) for their participation, in addition to being reimbursed for parking or public transportation. Please contact us at 617-732-8201 or by e-mail at ARC@partners.org if you are interested and with any questions.
THARROS
The THARROS study is a phase III clinical trial evaluating if inhaled steroids can help reduce the risk of heart and vascular disease in people with COPD. This study will be comparing both FDA approved Breztri – containing budesonide, glycopyrronium, and formoterol fumarate – and a dual therapy of glycopyrronium and formoterol fumarate. These medicines are designed to work together to reduce inflammation, relax the muscles in the airway, and help keep the airways open. We are looking for current or former smokers aged 40-80 with COPD and elevated cardiopulmonary risk who are not currently taking an inhaled steroid.
All participants will start off on the dual therapy at the first in person visit and will take it until their second visit where all eligible participants will be randomly chosen for either the dual therapy or Breztri. They will take this as maintenance for up to 3 years while completing 9 virtual visits with study staff. This study provides maintenance and rescue inhalers for COPD for up to 3 years. Participants will be compensated up to $1300 over 3 years and will be given parking vouchers for the BWH garages.
KALOS
The KALOS study is evaluating a new type of triple therapy inhaler, which is a combination of FDA approved medicines (budesonide, glycopyrronium and formoterol fumarate). These three medicines are designed to work together to reduce inflammation, relax the muscles in the airway, and help keep the airways open. This inhaler may provide benefit for people whose asthma symptoms are not fully controlled using their current inhaler treatment. Researchers will compare this new triple inhaler against two double therapy inhalers containing budesonide and formoterol fumarate. This study will also help us learn more about asthma and other associated conditions. This is a Phase III clinical study sponsored by AstraZeneca.
Participants will have about 15 in-person morning visits for up to a year and will be asked to complete daily e-diaries at home. Participants will be compensated up to $1900 for their participation. Participants will be given parking vouchers for the BWH garages.
Read More
Precision Interventions for Severe Asthma (PrecISE)
PrecISE is a clinical study sponsored by the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to investigate several treatments for severe asthma. PrecISE will enroll 800 adults and teenagers (ages 12 years and older) with severe asthma who have symptoms that are not well-controlled on high dose of inhaled corticosteroids, including those who have frequent asthma attacks. Each person who agrees to enroll in the PrecISE study will receive several treatments for research purposes based on their type of severe asthma. Interventions are administered in a crossover manner with 16-week treatment periods followed by 8 to 16 week washout.
The goal of PrecISE is to understand how to treat different types of severe asthma, by using precision medicine. Precision medicine is an approach that targets treatments to defined subgroups of patients who share similar characteristics, for example, patients with a certain genetic variation or patients with high number of blood eosinophils.
Read More
Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP)
In recent years scientists have learned more about the way mild-to-moderate asthma works and the reasons people get it. However, scientists are still trying to figure out what makes severe asthma different and how they can do better to treat the disease.
One reason the study of severe asthma is difficult is that there are not as many people with severe asthma. In fact they make up less than 10% of people with asthma. The Severe Asthma Research Program or SARP is a national research program created so that scientists in many locations across the country can run a single, important study, and together find enough volunteers with severe asthma to participate.
The Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP) at the BWH in Boston is looking for adults taking inhaled corticosteroids who have been told they have asthma by a doctor. The observational study involves coming to our research center 4-5 times over the course of about 3 years. Participants will take their usual asthma medications throughout, and, as with all our studies, compensation for time spent in our center is provided.
Read More