20 May 2020

To mark Clinical Trials Day 2020, we highlight some of our research trials in response to COVID-19.

Across King’s Health Partners, we are currently co-sponsoring more than 170 clinical trials to accelerate research into clinical care, and participating in many more.

With COVID-19 research currently top of our agenda, researchers across our partnership continue to mobilise together and work tirelessly to find solutions to combat coronavirus. As part of Clinical Trials Day 2020, we explore just some of these research trials:

Blood plasma treatment trial

A treatment known as ‘convalescent plasma’ is being tested at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, in a landmark trial supported by King’s College London.

This is part of the national priority trial REMAP-CAP, an international trial testing different treatments for patients who are severely ill with COVID-19, supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

The ‘convalescent plasma’ treatment involves NHS Blood and Transplant collecting blood plasma donations from patients who have recovered from COVID-19. Clinicians at Guy’s and St Thomas will then transfuse the plasma into COVID-19 patients whose bodies are not producing enough of their own antibodies against the virus, to support the patients fighting the disease.

COVID-Pre-Exposure prophylaxis trial

HIV Pre-exposure prophylaxis has dramatically reduced HIV incidence in key populations. This project aims to investigate a similar strategy for COVID-19 through a two-arm randomised controlled trial.

Known as the C-PrEP trial, this trial at King’s College London compares a drug used in HIV prevention to no additional medication. This drug is safe and has been shown to be active against coronavirus in laboratory experiments.

Cell therapy investigational medicinal product trial

The trial, called Repair of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) by Stromal Cell Administration (REALIST), is taking place at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

The advanced therapy medicinal product used in the trial has been reconstituted and prepared by the NIHR Guy’s and St Thomas’ Biomedical Research Centre’s (BRC) Advanced Therapies Manufacturing Platform. Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust have recruited their first patient for this nationwide trial, with the patient having now received treatment. The trial is also due to open to recruitment at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in due course.

Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) trial

This RECOVERY trial is a multi-centre platform trial that aims to test the effectiveness of five different drugs, which are currently used to treat conditions ranging from HIV to malaria, in the treatment of COVID-19 infection in adults.

This trial is actively recruiting patients from Guy’s and St Thomas’ and at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts, including the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) and Denmark Hill campuses. To date, the trial has recruited 68 patient participants across the partnership.

The Clinical Characterisation Protocol for Severe Emerging Infection (ISARIC-4C) study

The ISARIC-4C study is designed for the rapid, coordinated clinical investigation of patients with confirmed novel coronavirus infection. The study has been designed to ensure as much data as possible is collected and shared, aggregated and analysed across many different settings globally.

As of 15 May 2020, more than 1,000 patients at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust have joined the ISARIC-4C trial, contributing invaluable data to build an evidence base to inform treatment decisions and an effective public health response.

TACTIC-R trial - repurposing drugs to save lives

The Multi-arm Therapeutic study in pre-ICU patients admitted with COVID-19 - Repurposed Drugs, or TACTIC-R trial, is being led by clinicians and scientists at King’s College London and in Cambridge universities. The trial will test whether re-purposing existing drugs can prevent people suffering severe organ failure or death. The trial is part of the national approach by the UK Government to support the early phase development of potential new COVID-19 treatments.

Two drugs will initially be tested through TACTIC on patients at a network of hospitals, including Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts. If the trial demonstrates that a drug is effective, it will be quickly moved into NHS care pathways to treat the patients with severe COVID-19 related disease.

We’re hugely thankful to all patients being cared for across King’s Health Partners who have taken part in these crucial trials.

Recruiting patients to these trials is vital for us to improve treatment for COVID-19. We encourage clinical staff to support patients who may be interested in partaking in clinical trials.