Sheffield volunteers needed for latest UK COVID-19 vaccine study launched in Yorkshire and Humber

Volunteers from the Yorkshire and Humber area are being asked to sign up to the latest COVID-19 vaccine study to be rolled out across the UK.
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The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)-supported Valneva Phase 2/3 study, will be run at the Barnsley NHS Foundation NHS Trust, and is open to healthy adults who have not had a previous COVID-19 vaccine.

4,000 participants will be recruited across the UK, and everyone involved in the study will receive two active vaccine doses, administered in a four week interval.

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Those enrolled in the study over the age of 30 will be randomised to receive two doses of either the Valneva vaccine, or the approved Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

Barnsley Hospital.Barnsley Hospital.
Barnsley Hospital.

Participants aged 18 - 29 can be enrolled into the study to receive the Valneva vaccine and will not be offered the approved Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

Professor Anil Hormis, Principle Investigator on the Valneva study at Barnsley NHS Foundation Trust said: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had a huge focus on participating in the Urgent Public Health research studies to ensure our patients had access to all the latest treatments . In this next phase, I am really pleased that we are involved in COVID-19 vaccine research.

“We have set up an research collaboration between Rotherham and Barnsley NHS Trusts. We are excited that in May, we will start recruiting patients to the Valneva study and help evaluate another vaccine that can be used to protect our patients in Rotherham and Barnsley.”

Vials with Covid-19 Vaccine stickers attached and syringes with the logo of French-Austrian vaccine firm Valneva on November 17, 2020. - Valneva announced on April 21, 2021 the launch of a Phase III clinical study, the last step before a marketing application, for its candidate vaccine against Covid 19. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)Vials with Covid-19 Vaccine stickers attached and syringes with the logo of French-Austrian vaccine firm Valneva on November 17, 2020. - Valneva announced on April 21, 2021 the launch of a Phase III clinical study, the last step before a marketing application, for its candidate vaccine against Covid 19. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Vials with Covid-19 Vaccine stickers attached and syringes with the logo of French-Austrian vaccine firm Valneva on November 17, 2020. - Valneva announced on April 21, 2021 the launch of a Phase III clinical study, the last step before a marketing application, for its candidate vaccine against Covid 19. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
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Developed by the specialty vaccine company Valneva, the vaccine is being manufactured at the company’s site in Livingston, West Lothian, and is the only inactivated, adjuvanted (an ingredient to create a stronger immune response) COVID-19 vaccine in clinical development in Europe.

Volunteers for the study will be vaccinated at the beginning of May, and a proportion of potential participants will be identified through the NHS COVID-19 Vaccine Research Registry, which currently has over 480,000 sign ups. Subject to successful Phase 2/3 data, Valneva aims to make regulatory submissions for initial approval in the autumn of 2021.

Professor Adam Finn, Chief Investigator for the Valneva study said: “Following very encouraging safety and immune response results from our phase 1 study, along with my investigator colleagues, I am really looking forward to starting on this important next stage of the clinical development of this important new vaccine.

“We definitely need more vaccines to help us out of this pandemic and this one is a very promising candidate.”

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Professor Andrew Ustianowski, National Clinical Lead for the UK NIHR COVID Vaccine Research Programme, added: “Off the back of positive early study data, it is great to see the final stage of the Valneva study begin across the UK.

"Evaluating an additional vaccine candidate to help protect the population against COVID-19 is vital in our efforts to ensure that we have effective vaccines that work for everybody."

If Valneva’s vaccine is shown to be safe and effective, up to 250 million vaccine doses could be supplied to the UK and other countries around the world. As part of the UK government’s vaccine procurement approach, up to 100 million doses of this vaccine have been secured.

To register interest in vaccine studies and sign up to be contacted by researchers, people can visit the NHS COVID-19 Vaccine Research Registry (www.nhs.uk/researchcontact).

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