Fast paced trial chasing down COVID-19 symtoms

More than 5,000 vulnerable people have enrolled into a world-class, UK-wide study, with a view to receiving life-saving antivirals. This milestone means the UK is getting closer to rolling out these innovative medicines for the treatment of COVID-19.

The antivirals are being evaluated for safety and effectiveness in reducing the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and the risk of hospitalisation or death. It is hoped that this will ease some of the high pressure currently placed on the NHS.

The ground-breaking recruitment of 5,000 people into the PANORAMIC trial makes the study the fastest ever recruiting trial of its kind in the UK.

“The UK is leading the way when it comes to antivirals and this is a landmark milestone for the deployment of these cutting-edge treatments–which will be crucial as we learn to live with the virus by keeping our most vulnerable safe if they catch it,” UK health and social care secretary Sajid Javid said.

Through the Antivirals Taskforce, the government has procured 4.98 million courses of antivirals. These include 2.23 million courses of molnupiravir and 2.75 million courses of ritonavir. This translates to more per head than any other country in Europe.

“Despite all the amazing support already given to the PANORAMIC study, we need even more people in the early stages of their COVID illness to urgently share their experiences with us and sign-up directly through the PANORAMIC website,” said Professor Chris Butler, co-chief investigator of the PANORAMIC study, University of Oxford. “This will help us rapidly find out who will benefit most from the new treatments, so they can be given to the right people when they get sick.”

The study is run by the University of Oxford and supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Anyone over the age of 50 or between 18 to 49 with certain underlying health conditions can sign up to the study as soon as they receive a positive PCR or lateral flow test result. Patients must also have COVID-19 symptoms, which began in the last five days, in order to enrol.