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Disease

Pleural Effusion

Late-stage therapeutic developmentEmerging research
MeSHPleural Effusion
1
Publications
18
Clinical trials
2025
Latest publication
Latest activity
beta

Recent clinical, regulatory, research and industry developments relating to this disease.

What's happening now

An analyst briefing on current research, clinical, regulatory and industry activity surrounding this disease.

Executive briefingUpdating summary…Momentum: Low
Key developments
  • 3 clinical trials expected to report results, the earliest in Q3 2028.
Upcoming Milestones
Major developments
Upcoming trial readoutHigh impact
Once Daily Intrapleural Enzyme Therapy in Complicated Parapneumonic Effusion or Empyema (ONLY ONCE)
Results expected Q3 20282026-09-29
Upcoming trial readoutImportant
First-in-Human Expanded Cohort Study of Intrapleural Administration of TolueneSulfonamide in Patients With Malignant Pleural Effusion
Results expected Q4 20282026-05-15
Clinical Milestones5View
Results expected 3
Recently completed 2
Activity timeline5

Clinical trials

16 sponsors · 2 new · 0 completed in the last 12 months (net +2)

The current development programme across all trial phases.

Clinical programme
18
All trials
6
Active
10
Late-stage
6
Completed
Late-stage studies

Once Daily Intrapleural Enzyme Therapy in Complicated Parapneumonic Effusion or Empyema (ONLY ONCE)

Phase 4 · Recruiting · University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

A Randomized, Controlled, Double-blind, Multi-center Phase Ⅲ Registration Clinical Study of Combined Cisplatin Versus Placebo Combined With Intracavitary Cisplatin Injection in the Treatment of Malignant Pleural Effusions

Phase 3 · Active, not recruiting · Jiangsu Simcere Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Efficacy of 20% Human Albumin in Reducing Pleural Effusion After Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Phase 4 · Completed · Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital

Prospective Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial of Intrapleural Fibrinolytic Therapy to Enhance Chemical Pleurodesis

Phase 4 · Completed · Memorial Healthcare System

Efficacy of Iodopovidone Versus Talc in Palliative Malignant Pleural Effusion: a Randomized Controlled Trial Study

Phase 3 · Completed · Chiang Mai University

Use of Vasopressin Following the Fontan Operation: Both Pilot and Multicenter Studies

Phase 2/3 · Completed · Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Recruiting

Once Daily Intrapleural Enzyme Therapy in Complicated Parapneumonic Effusion or Empyema (ONLY ONCE)

Phase 4 · Recruiting · University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

First-in-Human Expanded Cohort Study of Intrapleural Administration of TolueneSulfonamide in Patients With Malignant Pleural Effusion

Phase 1/2 · Recruiting · Gang Hou

Effectiveness and Safety of Sodium Bicarbonate Pleural Lavage in the Treatment of Complex Pleural Effusion: Protocol for a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial（SAPLIC Study）

N/A · Recruiting · First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University

Fast TILs to Treat Metastatic Pleural Effusions From Epithelial or Mesothelial Primary Tumors: A Phase I Trial (FAST TILS 2)

Phase 1 · Recruiting · Allegheny Singer Research Institute (also known as Allegheny Health Network Research Institute)

Phase I Intra-patient Dose Escalation Study of the IL-6 Receptor Antagonist Tocilizumab Delivered Via Pleural and Peritoneal Catheters in Patients With Pleural Effusion or Peritoneal Ascites Due to Metastatic Cancer

Phase 1 · Recruiting · Allegheny Singer Research Institute (also known as Allegheny Health Network Research Institute)
Recently completed

Prospective Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial of Intrapleural Fibrinolytic Therapy to Enhance Chemical Pleurodesis

Phase 4 · Completed · Memorial Healthcare System

A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Efficacy of 20% Human Albumin in Reducing Pleural Effusion After Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Phase 4 · Completed · Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital

A Phase II Trial of Intrapleural Instillation of the Nivolumab in Cancer Patients With Pleural Effusion.

Phase 2 · Completed · Kidney Cancer Research Bureau

Efficacy of Iodopovidone Versus Talc in Palliative Malignant Pleural Effusion: a Randomized Controlled Trial Study

Phase 3 · Completed · Chiang Mai University

Use of Vasopressin Following the Fontan Operation: Both Pilot and Multicenter Studies

Phase 2/3 · Completed · Wake Forest University Health Sciences

A Phase 3, Multi-Center, Single-Arm, Open-Label Study For The Safety And Efficacy Of Mistletoe Extract (AbnobaViscum® Injection) In Malignant Pleural Effusions

Phase 3 · Completed · Abnoba Korea

Research activity

1 paper

Key research shaping understanding of this disease, combining the latest publications with the most influential evidence.

Major themes3
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation1
  • Heart Failure1
  • Lung1
Leading journals1
  • Heart failure reviews1
Leading researchers8
  • Ambrosino P1
  • Calabrò P1
  • Carluccio R1
  • Cesaro A1
  • Ciccarelli M1
  • D'Andrea A1
  • De Luca N1
  • Fratianni G1
Affiliations (unnormalised)6
  • "Giovan Battista Grassi" Hospital1
  • "San Luca" Hospital1
  • "Santa Maria alle Scotte" Hospital1
  • "Umberto I" Hospital1
  • Cecina Civil Hospital1
  • Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery1

Reference

Authoritative identity, definition & identifiers.

Defined in MeSH

Presence of fluid in the pleural cavity resulting from excessive transudation or exudation from the pleural surfaces. It is a sign of disease and not a diagnosis in itself.

Identifiers
MeSHPleural Effusion
References & data sources
  • Disease identity & definition — NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), public domain
  • Clinical trials — ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
  • Research activity — Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) + OpenAlex-derived paper links
  • Related entities are derived from literature co-mention (studied together) — associative, not causal.