Meta Description: Get the latest on Boehringer Ingelheim diabetes treatment clinical trials of 2026 — new study results, pipeline compounds, ongoing research, and what it all means for patients and clinicians.
The pace of diabetes research rarely slows — and in 2026, Boehringer Ingelheim continues to be one of the most active pharmaceutical companies advancing the science of diabetes treatment through rigorous clinical investigation. With the foundational empagliflozin outcomes trials now part of established medical literature, the company’s clinical trial focus has expanded — into new compounds, new patient populations, combination therapy strategies, and disease areas that intersect with type 2 diabetes in ways researchers are only beginning to fully understand.
For patients, clinicians, and healthcare researchers tracking where diabetes treatment is heading, understanding what Boehringer Ingelheim is investigating in 2026 provides a meaningful window into what standard of care may look like in the years ahead. This guide covers the most important clinical trial activity from Boehringer Ingelheim in diabetes for 2026 — building on their established evidence base and looking ahead at what’s coming through the pipeline.
The Foundation: Why Boehringer Ingelheim’s Trial History Matters for 2026
To understand 2026 clinical trial activity in context, it’s essential to appreciate how much ground Boehringer Ingelheim has already covered. Their landmark trials — EMPA-REG OUTCOME, the EMPEROR program, and EMPA-KIDNEY — established empagliflozin as one of the most comprehensively studied cardiometabolic drugs in pharmaceutical history, with demonstrated benefits across cardiovascular mortality, heart failure hospitalization, and chronic kidney disease progression.
Those results didn’t just build a commercial product. They built a scientific framework. In 2026, Boehringer Ingelheim’s clinical trial program is built on top of that framework — asking the next set of questions. Who else benefits from these mechanisms? Can combination approaches multiply individual drug benefits? What does the data look like in populations that earlier trials excluded? And can entirely new compounds do things that empagliflozin and linagliptin cannot?
These are the questions driving the 2026 trial portfolio.
Empagliflozin in 2026: New Populations, New Questions
Type 1 Diabetes Studies
One of the most significant expansions in Boehringer Ingelheim’s empagliflozin research involves type 1 diabetes — a population largely excluded from the landmark outcomes trials, which focused predominantly on type 2 diabetes with cardiovascular disease.
Type 1 diabetes presents a distinct clinical challenge. Patients are entirely dependent on exogenous insulin, often from childhood, and face a lifetime accumulation of cardiovascular and renal risk. The same mechanisms that make SGLT-2 inhibitors beneficial in type 2 diabetes — glucose excretion, blood pressure reduction, weight loss, and cardioprotective effects — are theoretically valuable in type 1, but the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a potentially life-threatening complication, has complicated regulatory approval.
Ongoing 2026 research is examining optimized patient selection and risk mitigation strategies for SGLT-2 inhibitor use in type 1 diabetes — specifically identifying which patients benefit most and how DKA risk can be managed through education, monitoring protocols, and dose adjustment. The goal is not simply to expand the label but to generate evidence that translates safely into clinical practice.
Pediatric and Adolescent Populations
Type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents has increased sharply over the past two decades alongside rising childhood obesity rates. This younger population has historically been underrepresented in major diabetes clinical trials, leaving clinicians with limited evidence-based guidance for treatment choices beyond metformin.
In 2026, Boehringer Ingelheim is advancing research examining empagliflozin in adolescent patients with type 2 diabetes — evaluating both safety and glycemic efficacy in an age group that presents unique pharmacokinetic and developmental considerations. Positive results in this population could significantly expand access to SGLT-2 inhibitor therapy for younger patients who currently have few pharmacological alternatives.
Early-Stage Chronic Kidney Disease
The EMPA-KIDNEY trial demonstrated empagliflozin’s renal protective effects across a broad CKD population. In 2026, follow-up research is examining whether earlier intervention — treating patients with mild kidney impairment before significant progression has occurred — produces even greater long-term preservation of kidney function.
This preventive approach to nephroprotection represents a meaningful shift in clinical thinking. Rather than using empagliflozin reactively once kidney disease is moderate or advanced, the emerging paradigm involves initiating treatment earlier to slow or halt progression before it becomes clinically significant. Long-term registry data and observational studies running alongside controlled trials are building the real-world evidence base for this approach.
Survodutide: The 2026 Phase 3 Pipeline Story
If empagliflozin is the established cornerstone of Boehringer Ingelheim’s cardiometabolic portfolio, survodutide is the compound generating the most scientific excitement in 2026.
Survodutide is a dual agonist of two key metabolic receptors — the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor and the glucagon receptor. This dual mechanism sets it apart from the GLP-1 receptor agonists already on the market (semaglutide, liraglutide, dulaglutide) and from SGLT-2 inhibitors. By activating both receptors simultaneously, survodutide targets energy balance from two directions — increasing insulin secretion through GLP-1 activity while also boosting hepatic glucose output regulation and energy expenditure through glucagon receptor activity.
Phase 2 Results Informing 2026 Phase 3 Design
Phase 2 data for survodutide, published and presented at major diabetes conferences in 2024 and 2025, showed substantial reductions in body weight and meaningful improvements in liver-related endpoints — particularly in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), formerly known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). MASH is a progressive liver disease with strong epidemiological overlap with type 2 diabetes and obesity, and it currently has very limited treatment options.
Phase 2 results also demonstrated HbA1c reductions consistent with what existing GLP-1 receptor agonists achieve — but with the added dimension of superior weight loss and liver enzyme improvement driven by the glucagon receptor component.
What the 2026 Phase 3 Program Is Examining
Boehringer Ingelheim’s phase 3 survodutide program in 2026 spans two primary indication areas:
Type 2 diabetes and obesity: Large-scale trials examining survodutide’s glycemic, weight, and cardiovascular risk outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity. A key question being answered is whether the dual GLP-1/glucagon mechanism delivers outcomes superior to GLP-1 agonist monotherapy alone — particularly on weight reduction and body composition.
MASH with liver fibrosis: Dedicated phase 3 trials in patients with biopsy-confirmed MASH and liver fibrosis are examining whether survodutide can achieve histological resolution — actual improvement in liver tissue architecture — not just biochemical marker improvement. If phase 3 confirms what phase 2 suggested, survodutide could address one of the largest unmet medical needs in hepatology, a population in which a significant proportion also carries a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
The convergence of diabetes, obesity, and liver disease in the survodutide trials reflects a broader shift in how Boehringer Ingelheim is framing its cardiometabolic research — not as siloed disease-specific programs but as an integrated approach to the cluster of metabolic conditions that frequently co-occur.
Combination Therapy Research in 2026
One of the most clinically interesting questions in diabetes pharmacology is whether combining drugs with complementary mechanisms — SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists, for example — produces additive or synergistic benefits beyond what either agent achieves alone.
Boehringer Ingelheim is participating in combination therapy research in 2026 examining empagliflozin in combination with GLP-1 receptor agonists across several dimensions:
Cardiovascular outcomes: Do patients receiving both an SGLT-2 inhibitor and a GLP-1 agonist experience lower rates of major adverse cardiovascular events than patients on either drug alone? Early real-world evidence and observational data suggest this may be the case, and prospective trial work is building the controlled evidence base.
Renal outcomes: Both drug classes have demonstrated independent renal protective effects. Combination trials are examining whether dual therapy provides superior preservation of kidney function in patients with diabetic nephropathy compared to either monotherapy.
Metabolic outcomes in obesity: For patients with type 2 diabetes and significant obesity, the combination of SGLT-2 inhibitor-driven glucose excretion and GLP-1-driven appetite suppression represents a mechanistically rational dual approach. 2026 studies are quantifying the additional weight and glycemic benefit of combining agents versus sequential monotherapy.
Digital Health Integration in 2026 Clinical Trials
A notable feature of Boehringer Ingelheim’s 2026 clinical trial design is the increased integration of digital health technologies — continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), digital biomarkers, patient-reported outcomes collected via app, and remote monitoring platforms — into trial protocols.
This integration serves several purposes. CGM data provides far richer glycemic information than traditional HbA1c measurements — capturing time-in-range, glycemic variability, and hypoglycemic episodes in ways that single-point lab values cannot. For trials examining type 1 diabetes and pediatric populations in particular, CGM-derived endpoints are increasingly accepted by regulators as clinically meaningful primary or secondary outcomes.
Remote monitoring and digital data collection also expand the geographic reach of trials — allowing participation from patients in regions without major academic medical centers while maintaining rigorous data quality standards. This democratization of clinical trial access is particularly relevant for Boehringer Ingelheim’s global diabetes portfolio, which seeks to generate evidence relevant to diverse patient populations worldwide.
Patient Perspectives: Participating in Boehringer Ingelheim 2026 Trials
For patients with type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes, obesity, or related cardiometabolic conditions who are interested in clinical trial participation, 2026 presents meaningful opportunities.
How to find active trials: ClinicalTrials.gov is the most comprehensive database of active clinical trials globally. Searching “Boehringer Ingelheim” combined with “diabetes,” “empagliflozin,” or “survodutide” returns current recruiting studies with full eligibility criteria, participating sites, and investigator contact information. Boehringer Ingelheim also maintains a clinical trial transparency portal on their corporate website listing sponsored studies.
What to expect from participation: Clinical trial participants receive investigational medications at no cost, along with more frequent medical monitoring than standard care typically provides — including regular HbA1c testing, cardiovascular assessments, kidney function monitoring, and in some trials, continuous glucose monitoring. This close monitoring has independent health management value for many participants.
Key eligibility considerations for 2026 trials: Most active Boehringer Ingelheim diabetes trials in 2026 specify eligibility based on diabetes type and duration, HbA1c range, existing medications, cardiovascular history, and kidney function. Patients on certain competing medications or with specific comorbidities may be excluded. A conversation with your treating physician is the best first step in determining whether a specific trial is appropriate for your clinical situation.
What Boehringer Ingelheim’s 2026 Trial Activity Means for Future Treatment
The totality of Boehringer Ingelheim’s 2026 clinical trial program signals several important directions for diabetes treatment over the next five years.
Earlier intervention — driven by evidence from trials in earlier-stage CKD and younger patient populations — will likely move established cardioprotective medications upstream in treatment algorithms, reaching patients before serious complications have developed.
Broader indication coverage — as empagliflozin accumulates approvals across heart failure, CKD, and potentially new diabetes subpopulations, it is shifting from a diabetes-specific medication to a foundational cardiometabolic therapy used across specialties.
New compound approvals — if survodutide’s phase 3 data confirms phase 2 signals, it could become an important new option in the increasingly competitive obesity-diabetes treatment landscape, potentially differentiating itself through liver disease benefits that existing GLP-1 agonists haven’t demonstrated at the same magnitude.
Combination therapy guidance — ongoing combination trials will likely produce clinical guideline updates that formalize dual SGLT-2/GLP-1 therapy for high-risk patients — moving from an off-label practice observed in some progressive clinical settings to a guideline-supported standard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What diabetes clinical trials is Boehringer Ingelheim running in 2026? In 2026, Boehringer Ingelheim is running trials examining empagliflozin in type 1 diabetes, adolescent type 2 diabetes, and early CKD populations, along with phase 3 trials of survodutide in type 2 diabetes, obesity, and MASH, and combination therapy studies pairing SGLT-2 inhibitors with GLP-1 receptor agonists.
What is survodutide and why is it significant in 2026? Survodutide is a dual GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist in phase 3 development. It targets both type 2 diabetes and metabolic liver disease (MASH) — conditions that frequently co-occur. Phase 2 results showed superior weight loss and liver disease improvement compared to existing therapies, generating significant interest in the 2026 phase 3 program.
How can patients join Boehringer Ingelheim diabetes trials in 2026? Patients can search for active recruiting trials at ClinicalTrials.gov using “Boehringer Ingelheim” and “diabetes” as search terms. Eligibility criteria vary by trial. Discussing participation with your treating endocrinologist or diabetologist is recommended as a first step.
Is empagliflozin being studied in type 1 diabetes in 2026? Yes. Boehringer Ingelheim is investigating optimized use of empagliflozin in type 1 diabetes in 2026, with a focus on DKA risk mitigation strategies that would enable safe clinical application in this population.
What combination therapies is Boehringer Ingelheim studying for diabetes in 2026? Boehringer Ingelheim is examining combinations of empagliflozin with GLP-1 receptor agonists for cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic outcomes — assessing whether dual therapy produces benefits beyond what either agent achieves as monotherapy.
Final Thoughts
Boehringer Ingelheim’s diabetes clinical trial program in 2026 is not standing still. While the foundational trials established the cardiovascular and renal case for empagliflozin, the 2026 program is answering the next generation of clinical questions — expanding to new populations, pushing into earlier intervention, developing a genuinely novel compound in survodutide, and integrating digital health tools that make trials more informative and more accessible.
For patients living with diabetes, this research activity represents tangible hope — that the medications available five years from now will be more effective, more broadly applicable, and more precisely targeted than what exists today. And for clinicians navigating the increasingly complex cardiometabolic treatment landscape, Boehringer Ingelheim’s 2026 trial data will be essential reading.
Note: This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Patients should consult their healthcare provider before making any changes to their diabetes treatment or pursuing clinical trial participation.