Clinical Trials searching for treatments for COVID-19

On Wednesday 17th June, Kathryn Murray, Lead Clinical Trials Pharmacist, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, discussed potential COVID-19 treatments, introducing the clinical trials taking place in the UK to test these treatments and the challenges that face setting up trials in a pandemic. Kathryn touched on these potential treatments and proceeded to discuss:

• The Background of the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Virology ' identifying COVID-19, previous Coronavirus outbreaks and relation to SAR-CoV2
  • Signs and symptoms ' European Hospital Data and New York data
  • Risk factors for severe disease ' disparities in the risk and outcomes (age, sex, geography, ethnicity etc.)
  • Complement activation ' progression of COVID-19
• Clinical Trials Exploring Potential Treatments
  • Corticosteroids
  • Anti-viral ' Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir/ritonavir, Azithromycin
  • Immune modulation agents ' Anakinra, Tocilizumab, Ravulizumab, Canakinumab, Complement C5 Inhibitor
  • Convalescent Plasma
  • Recovery - randomisation
• Challenges to setting up trials during COVID-19
  • Speed of trial set up
  • Availability of drug treatment
  • Drug preparation at ward level
  • Immune suppression

Register and watch on-demand here: https://www.pharmacycongress.co.uk/live-webinar-or-on-demand#/