£3.2m for trials to save the weakest
TRIALS backed by £3.2million public funding are to test promising Covid treatments for those with weakened immunity and those in care homes.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the move followed the successful rollout of Covid lifesavers dexamethasone and tocilizumab.
He said: “The Government is backing two more innovative clinical trials into effective therapeutics, this time specifically for the most vulnerable groups who need them most.”
Cambridge University’s PROTECT-V trial has already begun to look at helping those with weak immune systems such as kidney patients.
Senior research associate Dr Rona Smith said: “The rapid rollout of vaccination has been very welcome news, but it is unclear if these patients
will mount as strong responses to the vaccine as healthy individuals.
“This trial will test if drugs may offer additional protection over and above the vaccine in vulnerable individuals and prevent them becoming unwell with Covid-19 infection.”
Around 2,250 people are to take part for 12 months, helping 500,000 people.
A second two-year trial by Nottingham University, starting in May, will look for treatments to reduce transmission and serious illness among care home residents and staff.
It aims to recruit more than 400 homes, with around 12,000 residents.
Professor Philip Bath said: “Apart from vaccines, there are no drugs for preventing serious Covid-19 and the PROTECT-CH trial is designed to test drugs that might reduce infection, hospital admission and death.”