Leeds NHS Trust and research team are proud partners in one of the UK's largest Novavax trials

Our Research and Development Team share stories from the Trust's involvement in the Novavax vaccine trial

 

Over 15,000 people in the UK are now taking part in a clinical trial of the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine, which is on course to become the fourth Covid-19 vaccine approved for use in the UK.

We are so proud that our Research and Development (R&D) Team, along with our bank staffing team, are currently supporting Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in the smooth running of the Novavax trial.

 

Many of our staff have been on hand to administer the trial vaccination, observe for side effects, take vital baseline measures, and collect routine blood samples of the many volunteers that took part over the initial phase of the study which took place in October 2020, with some continuing their involvement during the follow up phase this year.

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This rare opportunity has been a great developmental opportunity for many of our R&D staff and bank staff alike who were able to be a part of this:

Moto Oluwakoseunti, LYPFT Bank Health Support Worker, said: “I would like to say thank you for the opportunity to be part of the team, it has been a wonderful experience for me in the area of learning and responsibility. I have also been meeting people that have been sharing their knowledge, both staff and participants. My heart’s desire is that the research will be a success as I can’t wait for Covid to disappear. Thanks so much once again, and I wish the entire team a resounding success.” 

An LYPFT Bank Health Support Worker said: “I’m really grateful especially having the privilege of working with different professionals and meeting new people. My mental health has been improved including my mindset. This research has opened a lot of doors for my career pathways and my communication skills have completely improved too. I will  apply the knowledge gained to my new career  thank you so much.” 

Melissa Brettell, Research Assistant, LYPFT R&D Team, said: “I really enjoyed working on the Novavax trial and feel very lucky to have been given the opportunity to work on such a ground breaking study. I was in awe of the hundreds of participants who were so happy to donate their time to the trial; individuals of all ages, backgrounds and occupations. I learned a lot from the new people I met, both participants and colleagues. As someone who usually works in the mental health field, I also found it very interesting to work on a physical health trial. Finally, I am so thankful to every single person who has contributed towards the trial and development of the vaccine – it is these amazing people who will help us beat Covid.”

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Leeds is one of the biggest recruiting sites for this vaccine, with over 800 local volunteers enrolled and testing the new vaccine. Many of our own LYPFT colleagues are also volunteering as participants, having 2 doses of either the trial vaccine or placebo and attending follow up appointments to monitor its long term effectiveness.

Vishal Sharma, Improvement Manager and Knowledge and Evaluation Lead, said: “As a research participant, the vaccine trials provided me with my experience as a participant in a CTIMP (Clinical Trial of an Investigational Medicinal Product).  Seeing how studies progress from ethics approval to actually being was an interesting experience. The speed with which things were set up and the way the research teams adapted to constantly changing circumstances was fantastic. Overall I found the process straightforward and insightful in how clinical trials are run; which in turn supports my role as an Ethics Committee member.  At every stage staff were incredibly helpful, from the doctors taking my consent and answering my questions, to the staff taking my bloods and administering the trial drug.”

Sinead Audsley, Research Manager, LYPFT R&D Team added: “I have worked in NHS research for more than 10 years so have spent many hours reviewing research protocols and talking to people about their individual studies. Being able to get out from behind my desk and take part in the Novavax trial was a great experience – the fact that I played a tiny part in finding a solution to Covid made it even better. The professionalism of our very own Trust Bank staff and my R&D colleagues was lovely to see first-hand. I would have no hesitation in volunteering as a research participant in the future”.

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It has since been reported that the vaccine has been shown to be 89% effective, while early evidence suggests it appears to be effective against a mutant strain of coronavirus first identified in Kent, and around 60% effective against the South African strain, with more research ongoing.

Without the many volunteers from a variety of backgrounds, including healthcare staff, it would not have been possible for these exciting results to have been produced so quickly.

The trial is now in its follow-up phase with volunteers being invited back for appointments 3 months after their second dose of the vaccine to monitor for antibody responses and wellbeing of participants. We look forward to receiving and sharing further findings in the months to come.

Further opportunities to join new vaccine trials may become available in the future – for your chance to hear more about these you can join the national vaccine research registry: https://www.nhs.uk/researchcontact

To find out more about the work of our Trust’s Research and Development Team please visit our website https://www.leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk/research/