Double UK first for Plymouth research team as COVID-delayed clinical trials get off to a flying restart
South west researchers have shown they can get vital drug trials back on track after COVID, by recruiting the first UK patients in not one but two studies seeking treatments for rare blood disorders.
The haematology team at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHPNT) successfully identified patients for the trials looking into the effectiveness of two monoclonal antibody treatments in patients with warm haemolytic anaemia (warm AIHA or wAIHA) and immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Both are auto-immune conditions in which the body’s immune system malfunctions and works to destroy certain components of the blood – platelets in the case of ITP, and red blood cells in wAIHA.
The two conditions can be serious and hard to treat, with many current approaches having the side effect of suppressing the immune system. In fact, a main cause of morbidity and death in those suffering from ITP and wAIHA is infection as a result of this immunosuppression.
Researchers hope these new antibody treatments can reduce the burden of destruction of platelets and red blood cells, and improve management of the condition in patients with chronic disease.
Despite the pressures of COVID, the research team at UHPNT was able to identify patients who would be suitable for the studies, and who could potentially benefit if randomised to receive the trial drugs (although some participants would receive placebo).
UHPNT Consultant Haematologist Dr Wayne Thomas is the Trust’s Principal Investigator (PI) for the wAIHA trial and an expert in non-malignant haematology. Fellow Consultant Haematologist Dr Tim Nokes is PI for the ITP study.
Dr Thomas paid tribute to the team, headed by Specialist Research Nurse Nicky Crosbie, who worked to make these trials available for patients. He said: “Most of this success is down to our own research team, who are awesome and have done every type of trial out there. The Trust research setup is really good, particularly in haematology.
"As clinicians, we are enthusiastic about research and we recognise the benefits for patients of taking part in clinical trials. When we manage patients long term, we are on the lookout for trials that might help them, and, because as a team we cover so many of the disease areas in haematology, we are able to get involved often.”
