Investigational COPD Treatments to Watch in 2026
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) makes it harder to breathe because the airways stay inflamed and narrowed over time, and parts of the lungs slowly lose their ability to move oxygen efficiently. Many people live with daily shortness of breath, chronic coughing, mucus buildup, and flare-ups that can send them to the hospital.
Most current COPD treatments help open the airways or calm symptoms, but they don’t directly target the biological signals driving inflammation and lung damage. The clinical trials below are different. Each one is testing a new therapeutic approach that aims to interrupt specific immune or inflammatory pathways involved in COPD — not just manage symptoms.
This article highlights COPD clinical trials to watch in 2026, focusing on studies that are:
- recently registered or ongoing
- testing experimental treatments
- listed on public research registries
Important: This article is for informational purposes only. The information shared here summarizes publicly available research, clinical trials, and scientific developments and no guarantees are made regarding accuracy, completeness, or current relevance. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any health-related decisions.
Below are five COPD clinical trials involving experimental treatments that represent different research approaches.
1. AZD6793 (Oral Investigational Therapy)
What is this study evaluating?
This Phase 2b clinical trial is testing AZD6793, a daily pill for people with moderate to severe COPD. Unlike inhalers that mainly provide short-term relief inside the airways, this medication is designed to reduce ongoing inflammation throughout the body that contributes to COPD symptoms. Researchers are studying whether taking this pill over several months can improve breathing, reduce daily shortness of breath, and lower the risk of flare-ups compared with placebo.
What impact could this study potentially have for patients?
If successful, AZD6793 could give patients a daily pill that helps calm ongoing inflammation inside the lungs that makes breathing feel tight and exhausting. For people who already use one or more inhalers but still feel limited when walking, climbing stairs, or doing daily tasks, this treatment could provide extra support rather than just short-term airway opening. Over time, better control of inflammation could mean fewer flare-ups, more steady breathing from day to day, and less fear of sudden worsening. A pill may also be easier for patients who have trouble using inhalers correctly or remembering multiple inhaler doses.
Study link: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07082738
2. Tezepelumab (Phase 3)
What is this study evaluating?
This Phase 3 clinical trial is testing tezepelumab, an injectable treatment designed to reduce lung inflammation in people with COPD. The medication works by blocking an early immune signal involved in triggering airway swelling, mucus buildup, and flare-ups. Researchers are studying whether adding tezepelumab to standard COPD treatments can reduce flare-ups, help stabilize lung function, and improve breathing over time compared with usual care alone.
What impact could this study potentially have for patients?
If successful, tezepelumab could help reduce flare-ups by blocking an early immune signal that sets off lung inflammation before symptoms spiral out of control. For patients, this could mean fewer sudden breathing attacks that require steroids, antibiotics, or hospital visits. Over the long term, fewer flare-ups may help slow lung damage, allowing people to stay active longer and maintain independence. This approach may be especially important for patients whose COPD remains unstable even when they are using their inhalers exactly as prescribed.
Study link: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06883305
3. Tezepelumab (Phase 2 – Exacerbation-focused)
What is this study evaluating?
This Phase 2 clinical trial is evaluating tezepelumab with a specific focus on preventing COPD flare-ups. Participants receive regular injections while continuing their usual COPD medications. The study is measuring how often flare-ups occur, how severe they are, and whether lung function stays more stable over time, while closely monitoring long-term safety.
What impact could this study potentially have for patients?
If successful, this study could show that this treatment helps prevent flare-ups before they become severe. For patients who experience frequent breathing crises, this could mean fewer emergency room visits, fewer courses of strong steroids, and less disruption to everyday life. Better control of flare-ups may also reduce the cycle of recovery and relapse that many patients experience, helping breathing stay more predictable and reducing long-term lung decline.
Study link: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04039113
4. Depemokimab
What is this study evaluating?
This Phase 3 clinical trial is testing depemokimab, a long-acting injectable treatment designed for people with COPD driven by a specific type of inflammation. The medication blocks an immune signal linked to eosinophils, which can worsen airway inflammation and increase flare-up risk in some patients. Because the drug stays active for months, it is given only a few times per year rather than frequently.
What impact could this study potentially have for patients?
If successful, depemokimab could offer a long-acting treatment for people whose COPD is driven by a specific type of inflammation. For patients, this could mean fewer flare-ups with injections given only a few times a year instead of frequent dosing. This may be especially helpful for people who continue to worsen despite inhalers and steroids. Fewer treatments could also make disease management feel less overwhelming while still offering meaningful protection against flare-ups.
Study link: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06959095
5. Solrikitug
What is this study evaluating?
This Phase 2 clinical trial is testing solrikitug, an investigational injectable treatment aimed at reducing lung inflammation in COPD. The study is primarily evaluating safety while also looking for early signs that blocking an immune signal involved in inflammation may improve lung function or reduce flare-ups. This research represents an earlier step in development compared with later-phase trials.
What impact could this study potentially have for patients?
If successful, solrikitug could support a new way of treating COPD by calming inflammation very early, before it leads to repeated flare-ups and worsening lung damage. For patients, this could eventually mean treatments that help keep breathing more stable over time, rather than reacting only after symptoms suddenly worsen. While this study is still early, positive results could open the door to future therapies designed to protect lung function and slow disease progression earlier in the course of COPD.
Study link: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06496620
Final Takeaway
These ongoing COPD clinical trials reflect a shift toward treating the underlying inflammatory drivers of disease, rather than focusing solely on symptom relief. By targeting immune signals linked to flare-ups and lung damage, these investigational approaches could lead to more personalized and effective treatment options for people living with COPD.
BeyondMed.ai helps patients discover the latest publications, the latest clinical trials, and the doctors involved in medical research using publicly available data.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only. The information shared here summarizes publicly available research, clinical trials, and scientific developments and no guarantees are made regarding accuracy, completeness, or current relevance. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any health-related decisions.