Empagliflozin to Improve Right Ventricular Function in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Official title: Master - 2/2 Empaglifozin To Improve Right Ventricular Function in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Funded at Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru · NIH-11399092 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A 3-center, placebo-controlled study tests whether daily 10 mg empagliflozin for 24 weeks can help heart function and other outcomes in people with PAH.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $363,406 |
| NIH project number | 5U24HL175028-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11399092 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension who meet study criteria and are able to participate in 24 weeks of treatment and follow-up.
✕Less likely to help
Some participants may not experience meaningful improvement and could experience side effects from the medication.
What this research studies
This trial enrolls adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension to see if taking empagliflozin daily for six months can improve heart performance as measured by imaging and functional tests. It is a blinded, randomized study comparing empagliflozin to placebo, with heart function, exercise capacity, quality of life, and biomarker changes tracked over time. The Data Coordinating Center will manage the study design, statistics, and analyses, and will explore additional patient characteristics that might predict response.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could offer a new therapy to improve heart function and quality of life for people with PAH.
How similar studies have gone: Previous trials in this area have shown signal of benefit in related cardiac conditions, but this specific PAH-focused empagliflozin study is a targeted, pivotal step with 10 mg dosing over 24 weeks.
Where this research is happening
-
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gassman, Jennifer J — Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
- Study coordinator: Gassman, Jennifer J
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how blood flow and pressure affect lungs in PAH
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Asporin as a double-targeted therapy and biomarker for a serious artery disease
This project tests a protein called asporin as both a treatment and a biomarker for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to help people with this life-threatening condition.
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Researchers are studying how inflammation in the lining of blood vessels and a protein called Src kinase contribute to early lung artery remodeling in people with mild PAH.
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Cardiopulmonary chip model to study right heart disease from high blood pressure in the lungs
A tiny heart-lung chip is being developed to understand why the right side of the heart enlarges in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension and to test targeted treatments.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.