Trial Activity Trends
Data updated: May 20, 2026
Comparing 2024-2025 vs 2020-2021 trial starts by indication
Rising Indications
+30% or more trial activity growth
Lupus Immunology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+267%
55→202
Liver Failure Hepatology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+240%
5→17
Obesity Metabolic
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+228%
151→495
Arrhythmia Cardiovascular
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+200%
6→18
Stroke Cardiovascular
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+195%
92→271
Immune Thrombocytopenia Rare Disease
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+169%
36→97
Vitiligo Dermatology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+142%
12→29
Constipation Gastrointestinal
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+136%
11→26
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Cardiovascular
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+129%
7→16
Bipolar Disorder CNS
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+127%
15→34
IBD Immunology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+117%
6→13
SCLC Oncology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+114%
73→156
Alopecia Dermatology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+113%
31→66
Peptic Ulcer Gastrointestinal
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+108%
39→81
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Urology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+90%
10→19
Stable Indications
-30% to +30% change
Solid Tumor (Advanced) Oncology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+23%
1642→2013
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Oncology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+14%
990→1132
Breast Cancer Oncology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
-3%
909→878
Prostate Cancer Oncology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+9%
421→457
Lung Cancer (General) Oncology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
-30%
404→283
Multiple Myeloma Oncology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+8%
245→264
Sarcoma Oncology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
-17%
290→240
Hematologic Malignancies Oncology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+6%
248→264
Ovarian Cancer Oncology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
+27%
241→305
Bladder Cancer Oncology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
-1%
250→247
Declining Indications
-30% or more trial activity decline
COVID-19 Infectious Disease
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
-91%
1967→179
Hepatitis C Infectious Disease
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
-71%
24→7
Pneumonia Respiratory
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
-63%
165→61
Muscle Spasm Musculoskeletal
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
-50%
8→4
Fabry Disease Rare Disease
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
-50%
6→3
Merkel Cell Carcinoma Oncology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
-39%
31→19
Myelofibrosis Oncology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
-39%
80→49
Melanoma Oncology
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
-36%
392→252
NASH/NAFLD Metabolic
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
-34%
114→75
Opioid Use Disorder CNS
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
-30%
102→71
Showing top 10 rising and declining trends
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Sparklines: Show trial volume 2020→2026 (left to right).