Groundbreaking COVID-19 treatments to be fast-tracked through clinical trials

Groundbreaking COVID-19 treatments to be fast-tracked through clinical trials

• Government awards multi-million-pound funding to phase 1 clinical trial platform to fast-track innovative treatments
• NHS patients could receive cutting-edge COVID-19 treatments in months rather than years
• Move will bring in the world’s best researchers to trial treatments in the UK

The move marks a landmark development in COVID-19 research that could see results for brand new treatments in months rather than years, and will enable the government to get even more safe and effective treatments to the NHS rapidly through a more streamlined process.

Currently, the government funds phase 2 and 3 trials, such as the RECOVERY trial, which brought life-saving treatments dexamethasone and tocilizumab to the NHS. Phase 1 trials, usually arranged by the researchers, are the earliest stage of human trials that ensure treatments are safe and show a signal of benefit in treating a disease.

The funding has been awarded to expand the AGILE clinical trial platform and will allow for global innovators to progress cutting-edge treatments for COVID-19 through all 3 clinical trial phases in the UK, further protecting our supply chain. This in turn will attract the brightest of researchers and manufacturers from around the world to trial their medicines here in Britain.