Sussex participants sought for new Covid-19 vaccine trial

The UK has ordered 100 million doses of the Valneva jab

Author: Ryan BurrowsPublished 11th May 2021

Volunteers from across Sussex are being asked to sign up to the latest COVID-19 vaccine study to be rolled out across the UK.

Those aged over 30 and in relatively good health, who have yet to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, are being invited to take part in trials of the Valneva jab being run in Guildford in Surrey.

4,000 participants will be recruited across the UK, and everyone involved in the study will receive two active vaccine doses, administered in a four week interval.

Those enrolled in the study over the age of 30 will be randomised to receive two doses of either the Valneva vaccine, or the approved Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

Participants aged 18-29 can be enrolled into the study to receive the Valneva vaccine and will not be offered the approved Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

The vaccine, which is being manufactured in Scotland, is the only inactivated, adjuvanted (an ingredient to create a stronger immune response) COVID-19 vaccine in clinical development in Europe.

If Valneva’s vaccine is shown to be safe and effective, up to 250 million vaccine doses could be supplied to the UK and other countries around the world, with the UK government having already ordered 100 milion doses.

Dr Hana Hassanin, who is the local Principal Investigator for the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust and University of Surrey site and the Medical Director of Surrey Clinical Research Facility at the University of Surrey, said:

“Although there are a number of vaccines now available it is important that the scientific and medical community continue to develop and trial new inoculations, as we have seen a one size fits all approach does not apply to vaccinations.

"A variety of proven vaccines will also help protect countries from supply, or other, issues that may mean one vaccine becomes difficult to manufacture or distribute."

Professor Andrew Ustianowski, National Clinical Lead for the UK NIHR COVID Vaccine Research Programme, said:

“Off the back of positive early study data, it is great to see the final stage of the Valneva study begin across the UK, coordinated by the NIHR Clinical Research Network. Evaluating an additional vaccine candidate to help protect the population against COVID-19 is vital in our efforts to ensure that we have effective vaccines that work for everybody.

"Each and every one of the participants involved in the study are key to helping us gain a detailed understanding of how the vaccine will perform in a large population."

To register interest in vaccine studies and sign up to be contacted by researchers, people can visit the NHS COVID-19 Vaccine Research Registry.

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