Researchers to study Covid patients with weakened immune systems
An “urgent” new study led by Glasgow University researchers will aim to understand the response to Covid-19 vaccines in patients with weakened immune systems, including those with cancer.
The OCTAVE trial, funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), will involve scientists from the universities of Glasgow, Birmingham, Oxford and Liverpool as well as Imperial College London and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
It will be one of the first studies to examine the response to Covid-19 vaccines in those with weakened immune systems – who have been excluded from most research so far – and will offer “invaluable” new data to these patients and their families, said lead researcher Professoriainmcinnesofglasgow University.
Those with cancer, inflammatory arthritis, diseases of the kidney or liver or who are having a stem cell transplant may be at increased risk of the more severe complications of Covid-19.
But many of these groups receive lower protection from already established vaccines due to their weakened immune system. The OCTAVE study will seek to establish whether this is also the case with Covid-19 vaccines.
Using a variety of state-ofthe-art immune tests performed on blood samples taken before and/or after vaccination, researchers will determine patients’ immune response and the likelihood that vaccines will fully protect these groups from Covid-19.
Upto5,000peopleareexpected to take part in the study.
Researchers have begun recruiting patients at sites acrosstheukandwillcompare results from the study group against control groups of people without these underlying conditions who also received a vaccine.
Those studied who receive a vaccine will do so as part of the national rollout.
Professoriainmcinnes,head of the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences at Glasgow University, said: “We urgently need to understand if patientpopulationswithchronic conditions such as cancer, inflammatoryarthritisandkidney and liver disease are likely to be well-protected by current Covid-19 vaccines.
"The study will give us invaluablenewdatatohelpusanswer questions of this kind.”