New COVID drug trial recruiting people across Greater Manchester
It's to see if a new, specially designed drug can cut the risk of people becoming seriously ill with COVID
Last updated 9th Aug 2021
People across Greater Manchester are set to be part of pioneering research in the fight against COVID-19.
A new study has been launched looking into a new drug which it's hoped could drastically reduce the number of people who end up severely Ill with COVID.
This ground-breaking study opened at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust today with researchers actively recruiting participants to one arm of the study, being run from Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI), with a second arm to open at Wythenshawe Hospital in the coming months.
Dr Shazaad Ahmad, a Consultant Virologist within the Manchester Medical Microbiology Partnership, is the Principal Investigator of the MRI arm of the study, which is trialling the drug, Molnupiravir.
Dr Ahmad said: “The UK’s COVID-19 vaccination programme has been impressive and has led to a decrease in infection and hospitalisation rates. However, it will not eradicate COVID-19 infections entirely, and it is therefore essential that we continue to find treatments for those people who do contract the virus to prevent them from developing severe disease.
"In order to carry out this vital research, we rely on volunteer trial participants to help us see which treatments will be most effective – which is why we are asking people across Greater Manchester to consider taking part in the AGILE trial.
At MFT, both arms of the study will be delivered within the NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facility (CRF), which provides a dedicated space and a safe, quality-assured environment, for delivering early phase research – and is therefore perfectly positioned to deliver cutting-edge research like this."
What is the trial for?
These trials are part of the national ‘AGILE’ platform which aims to fast-track potential new coronavirus therapies through early phase clinical trials to help find drugs that can prevent people who contract the virus from becoming severely ill.
The trials are testing to see if the drug Molnupiravir, an experimental antiviral that is taken orally, in pill form, can help with the treatment of infections caused by RNA viruses, specifically for COVID-19, as well as other infections, including influenza.
What is Molnupiravir?
Pharmaceutical companies Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Merck are collaborating on the development of the drug Molnupiravir.
Unlike other drugs which are used to treat COVID patients such as Dexamethasone, which was repurposed for this use, Molnupiravir is being developed specifically to treat COVID-19.
It's hoped, if proven to be successful, patients who test positive for COVID at home could begin a week-long course of tablets which would reduce the risk of serious illness and therefore hospitalisation and death from COVID-19.
These are Phase 2 trials which mean the drug has already proven to be safe, researchers are now testing whether it is effective.
Who can take part?
In order to take part in this trial, you need to have recently tested positive for COVID.
Dr Shazaad Ahmad said:
"We'll be getting lists of people who test positive and we will be contacting them but that is a long way round of doing it.
"If people do get a positive swab, and they're within five days of their positive swab, then what we would really like is for them to contact us.
"There are, of course, inclusion and exclusion criteria and we'll make sure that it's an appropriate thing for them to be part of the trial."
It doesn't matter if you have had a COVID vaccine, you can take part in this trial even if you are vaccinated.
What will it involve?
First of all, you'll be taken through the criteria to ensure the trial is right for you and the various aspects of the trial will be explained in more detail.
You'll have an appointment booked at the clinical research facility at Manchester Royal Infirmary.
Then over the course of a month, you'll have eight visits so the research team can make observations.
Dr Shazaad Ahmad said:
"We'll be taking some swabs and some blood samples, at some of the visits. This is mainly to make sure that there are no adverse effects on any of your organs and to measure the levels of the drug in your blood.
"What that does is it gives us a much better understanding of how the drug is performing and helps us with understanding how it might behave in other people."
How can I get involved?
If you think you fit the criteria and would like to be part of the trial you can get in touch with the research team at CST2.agile@mft.nhs.uk.
Dr Shazaad Ahmad concluded:
"I cannot overstate the importance of proud volunteers.
"The way that we have the treatments that we're using at the moment which have definitely saved lives is people who have been willing to be part of trials.
"If it wasn't for these well designed and well-run trials, we would be using all kinds of things that may well be doing harm and we would never know.
"Having trials is the only way that we can know what works in a safe environment.
I cannot over-egg the importance of trial volunteers and I can't thank them enough, really, for everything that they've done so far, and continue to do and helping us look after patients."