First Addenbrooke’s Patient in National COVID-19 Trial

Today, Addenbrooke’s Hospital has enrolled our first patient into the national RECOVERY trial, led by Oxford researchers, which is hoping to identify potential treatments for COVID-19. The Randomised Evaluation of COVid-19 thERapY (RECOVERY) trial, will test several medications that are safely used for other conditions, and that have shown promise in other countries.

The opportunity to join this trial will be offered to adults who are hospitalised with COVID-19 at Addenbrooke’s, and other participating NHS hospitals across the country, and who do not have health conditions that would interact with the trial drugs. There are 3 drugs being tested in the first stages of the trial, including hydroxychloroquine, which is similar to a drug used to treat malaria and some rheumatic diseases.  However, the trial follows an ‘adaptive’ design, which means that if further drugs show promise, they can be added to the treatments being tested.

The trial results will be regularly reviewed so that any treatments that are found to be effective can be made available to all patients.

Participation in this national trial is part of Cambridge’s wider contribution to COVID-19 research. Local principal investigator Dr Martin Knolle said “this is an example of Cambridge researchers, as part of a national effort, pulling together to deliver potentially life-saving treatments in record time in the most difficult of circumstances. I am very proud of our team and research community for this response.”