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Danny Sugimoto, MD
Dr. Danny H. Sugimoto, MD is the founder and Medical Director of Cedar Crosse Research Center in Chicago, Illinoiscedarcrosse.com. He has over 27 years of clinical research experience (since 1989) and has served as principal investigator in hundreds of clinical trials (450+ trials by Cedar Crosse’s count) across cardiovascular, metabolic, neurologic, and other therapeutic areascedarcrosse.com. Below is a comprehensive summary of publicly available information on Dr. Sugimoto’s clinical research involvement, including ClinicalTrials.gov listings, peer-reviewed publications, and media/press mentions, with a focus on research affiliated with Cedar Crosse Research Center.
Professional Memberships & Affiliations:
- American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine
- American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine
- American College of Physicians
- Association of Clinical Research Professionals
- Academy of Physicians in Clinical Research
- American Diabetes Association
- American Heart Association
- American Headache Society
- American Society of Hypertension
- Obesity Society
ClinicalTrials.gov – Notable Trial Listings Involving Dr. Sugimoto
Dr. Sugimoto has been listed as a principal or sub-investigator for numerous clinical studies registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The following table highlights several notable trials (with study titles, sponsors, phases, and therapeutic areas) conducted at Cedar Crosse Research Center where Dr. Sugimoto was involved:
EXSCEL: Exenatide Study of Cardiovascular Event Lowering Trial
A Trial to Evaluate Cardiovascular Outcomes After Treatment With Exenatide Once Weekly in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
THERAPEUTIC AREA:
Type 2 Diabetes (Cardiovascular Outcomes)
SPONSOR:
AstraZeneca
STATUS/DATE:
Completed (2017)
LY2409021 in Type 2 Diabetes
A Study of LY2409021 in Participants With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (glucagon receptor antagonist trial).
THERAPEUTIC AREA:
Type 2 Diabetes (Glucose Control)
SPONSOR:
Eli Lilly & Co.
STATUS/DATE:
Terminated (2015)
LY2623091 in Hypertension
A Study of LY2623091 in Participants With High Blood Pressure (investigational antihypertensive).
THERAPEUTIC AREA:
Primary Hypertension
SPONSOR:
Eli Lilly & Co.
STATUS/DATE:
Completed (2016)
Metformin Delayed-Release Dose-Ranging Study
Dose-Ranging Study to Evaluate the Glycemic Effects, Safety, and Tolerability of Metformin Delayed Release in Subjects With T2DM.
THERAPEUTIC AREA:
Type 2 Diabetes (Oral Therapy)
SPONSOR:
Elcelyx Therapeutics
STATUS/DATE:
Completed (2016)
Saroglitazar Magnesium in Severe Hypertriglyceridemia
Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Saroglitazar Mg in Patients With Fasting Triglyceride ≥500 mg/dL and ≤1500 mg/dL (multi-center trial).
THERAPEUTIC AREA:
Severe Hypertriglyceridemia (Metabolic)
SPONSOR:
Zydus Therapeutics
STATUS/DATE:
Suspended (2018)
Sources: The above information is drawn from trial registry data and summaries. For example, the EXSCEL cardiovascular outcomes trial (NCT01144338) was sponsored by AstraZeneca (Phase 3, completed) centerwatch.com, and Dr. Sugimoto served as a site Principal Investigator for that study. Similarly, multiple Eli Lilly-sponsored trials (e.g. LY2409021 and LY2623091 investigational agents) are listed on ClinicalTrials.gov with Dr. Sugimoto as a site investigator doximity.comdoximity.com. The Cedar Crosse site is explicitly listed (with Dr. Sugimoto as PI) in a trial of Saroglitazar Magnesium for lipid disorders clinicaltrialsgps.com. These entries illustrate Dr. Sugimoto’s involvement in Phase II–III studies spanning diabetes, cardiovascular risk, hypertension, and metabolic disease.
Peer-Reviewed Research Publications and Contributions
Dr. Sugimoto has been an author or collaborator on a number of peer-reviewed clinical research publications, often reflecting the multicenter trials in which Cedar Crosse participated. Key publications include:
- Obesity/Metabolic Trials: Early in his research career, Dr. Sugimoto contributed to obesity pharmacotherapy studies. For instance, he was a co-author of a 1996 study on dexfenfluramine for obesity: “A placebo-controlled, dose-response study of dexfenfluramine in the treatment of obese patients” in Current Therapeutic Research drugs.com. More recently, he co-authored results from the SCALE IBT trial combining intensive behavioral therapy with liraglutide 3.0 mg for weight loss, published in Obesity (2020). In that 56-week randomized trial, which Dr. Sugimoto helped conduct as an investigator, adding liraglutide to behavioral therapy led to significantly greater weight loss (7.5% vs 4.0% with placebo) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Dr. Sugimoto is listed as an author (affiliated with Cedar Crosse) alongside lead author Thomas Wadden pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. He also collaborated on an analysis of cardiometabolic outcomes from the Semaglutide obesity trials (STEP program), published in Postgraduate Medicine (2022) scribd.com, which reviewed improvements in risk factors with 2.4 mg semaglutide in obese patients.
- Diabetes Clinical Trials: Given Cedar Crosse’s focus on diabetes, Dr. Sugimoto has been involved in numerous diabetes therapy studies. He was among the investigators (co-author) in a 2-year trial comparing basal insulins: “Comparison of insulin degludec with insulin glargine in insulin-naive subjects with type 2 diabetes: a 2-year randomized, treat-to-target trial,” published in Diabetic Medicine in 2013 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. He was the lead author on a publication analyzing a fixed-dose combination of insulin glargine/lixisenatide (iGlarLixi) in type 2 diabetes patients: “Efficacy of iGlarLixi…in patients with type 2 diabetes stratified as at high or low risk according to HEDIS measurements,” in Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism (2018) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Dr. Sugimoto’s affiliation (Cedar Crosse, Chicago) is noted in that paper, which reported on the glycemic efficacy of iGlarLixi in different risk subgroups. Additionally, he is a co-author on a 2024 study of a biosimilar insulin glargine (Gan & Lee’s product) versus Lantus®, published in Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism. In that multi-center trial, after 26 weeks the biosimilar showed comparable efficacy and safety to originator insulin; Dr. Sugimoto is listed as an investigator-author (affiliation: Cedar Crosse) in the author byline pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
- Cardiovascular/Hypertension Research: Sugimoto has contributed to clinical research in cardiology and hypertension as well. Notably, he was first author of “The TRINITY Study: distribution of systolic blood pressure reductions,” published in Integrated Blood Pressure Control (2013) dovepress.com. TRINITY was a trial examining triple-combination antihypertensive therapy; the publication (Sugimoto et al. 2013) detailed blood pressure reduction outcomes across the study population. This reflects Cedar Crosse’s involvement in hypertension trials and Dr. Sugimoto’s role in analyzing those data. He has also been acknowledged in cardiovascular outcome trials for metabolic drugs – for example, as an investigator in the EXSCEL trial of weekly exenatide (which was later published in NEJM), and in the Contrave® cardiovascular outcomes trial (naltrexone/bupropion for weight loss – published in JAMA) where Cedar Crosse was a participating site jamanetwork.com.
- Vaccine/Immunotherapy Research: In addition to metabolic disease, Dr. Sugimoto’s recent research involvement extends to novel therapeutics such as vaccines. He is co-author of a forthcoming 2024 paper in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics detailing a novel orf-virus vector COVID-19 booster vaccine. This study showed a broad neutralizing immune response without anti-vector immunity issues tandfonline.com. Dr. Sugimoto is listed among the authors (as a trial investigator) in the publication of these Phase 1/2 vaccine results researchgate.net, underscoring Cedar Crosse’s participation in cutting-edge clinical research beyond its core metabolic focus.
Summary of Publications
Dr. Sugimoto’s publication record mirrors the diversity of trials at Cedar Crosse. It spans obesity pharmacotherapy (dexfenfluramine in 1996 drugs.com to modern GLP-1 agonists in 2020 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), diabetes innovations (insulin analogues, combinations, and biosimilars in 2013–2024 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), and cardiovascular/hypertension treatments (triple-therapy for blood pressure in 2013 dovepress.com). These peer-reviewed contributions demonstrate his role in advancing clinical knowledge as a site Principal Investigator collaborating in multi-center trials.
Media Coverage and Press Mentions
- Migraine Clinical Trial (ALD403): In 2016, CBS Chicago highlighted Dr. Sugimoto’s involvement in a migraine prevention The news segment reported on a “national test study of a protein injection called ALD403” for chronic migraines, noting that “Olsen’s doctor, Danny Sugimoto, of Chicago’s Cedar-Crosse Research Center, is involved in [this] national test study” cbsnews.com. ALD403 (now known as eptinezumab, a monoclonal antibody for migraine) was in Phase 3 trials at the time. Dr. Sugimoto commented in the interview that results were promising – “for migraine prevention, there’s nothing like it…I’ve been doing drug research for over 27 years…and for me it’s very exciting” cbsnews.com. This local news story underscores Cedar Crosse’s participation in neurologic trials and Dr. Sugimoto’s public-facing role as principal investigator discussing research findings.
- Obesity Treatment (Behavioral Therapy + Liraglutide): The results of the SCALE IBT obesity trial (behavioral weight-loss therapy plus medication), which Dr. Sugimoto co-authored, were also covered in specialty press. Obesity research news outlets noted that “other authors of the study include Danny Sugimoto of the Cedar Crosse Research Center in Chicago, Ill.” among a collaborative team saudiobesity.org.. The trial’s positive outcome – demonstrating additional weight loss from combining intensive behavioral therapy with liraglutide 3.0 mg – was highlighted as a significant advance in obesity treatment, and Dr. Sugimoto’s role as a site investigator was explicitly mentioned in press releases and summaries of the study. This media mention reflects recognition of Dr. Sugimoto’s contribution to a high-profile obesity trial alongside academic and industry researchers.
- Clinical Research Advocacy: Sugimoto and Cedar Crosse Research Center have been featured in local media for their broader clinical research efforts. For example, Cedar Crosse’s own press materials and social media celebrate Dr. Sugimoto’s “dedication, commitment and unmatched passion for the improvement of…quality of life” of patients through clinical trials facebook.com. As a long-standing investigator in Chicago, he has occasionally been quoted in press releases about new treatments or invited to speak on the importance of clinical research in the community.
Conclusion
In summary, Dr. Danny Sugimoto’s clinical research involvement is extensive and multifaceted. At Cedar Crosse Research Center (which he founded in 1996), he has led or collaborated in hundreds of clinical trials (Phases I–IV) across endocrinology (diabetes, obesity), cardiology (hypertension, cardiovascular outcomes), neurology (migraine), and even vaccine researchcedarcrosse.comcbsnews.com. He is listed as an investigator on numerous ClinicalTrials.gov entries – from global Phase 3 outcome trials to early-phase metabolic drug studies – and has co-authored peer-reviewed publications that disseminate the results of these trialspubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. His work has contributed to advancing new therapies such as GLP-1 agonists for diabetes and obesity, novel insulins and combination drugs, migraine monoclonal antibodies, and more. Publicly, his research has been recognized through media coverage, highlighting the local impact of international clinical studies in which he participatescbsnews.com. All these sources underscore Dr. Sugimoto’s prominent role in clinical research in Chicago and his contributions to improving medical treatments through clinical trials.
Sources
- Cedar Crosse Research Center – Leadership Profile (Danny Sugimoto, MD) comcedarcrosse.com
- ClinicalTrials.gov / Doximity – Selected trial listings involving Dr. Sugimoto (EXSCEL, LY2409021, LY2623091, Metformin DR, Saroglitazar) centerwatch.comdoximity.com
- Peer-reviewed publications and PubMed entries (Sugimoto et al. 1996, 2013, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024) drugs.compubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- CBS News (Chicago) – Migraine trial coverage, interview with Dr. Sugimoto (2016) cbsnews.com
- Obesity Society News – Coverage of IBT + liraglutide trial authorship (2023) saudiobesity.org and Obesity journal article (Wadden et al. 2020)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.