The European clinical research response to optimise treatment of patients with COVID-19: lessons learned, future perspective, and recommendations

Democratising the design and delivery of large-scale randomised, controlled clinical trials in primary care: A personal view

BACKGROUND

Rapid identification of effective treatments for use in the community during a pandemic is vital for the well-being of individuals and the sustainability of healthcare systems and society. Furthermore, identifying treatments that do not work reduces research wastage, spares people unnecessary side effects, rationalises the cost of purchasing and stockpiling medication, and reduces inappropriate medication use. Nevertheless, only a small minority of therapeutic trials for SARS-CoV-2 infections have been in primary care: most opened too late, struggled to recruit, and few produced actionable results. Participation in research is often limited by where one lives or receives health care, and trial participants may not represent those for whom the treatments are intended.

INNOVATIVE TRIALS

The ALIC4E, PRINCIPLE and the ongoing PANORAMIC trial have randomised over 40,500 people with COVID-19. This personal view describes how these trials have innovated in: trial design (by using novel adaptive platform designs); trial delivery (by complementing traditional site-based recruitment ('the patient comes to the research') with mechanisms to enable sick, infectious people to participate without having to leave home ('taking research to the people'), and by addressing the 'inverse research participation law,' which highlights disproportionate barriers faced by those who have the most to contribute, and benefit from, research, and; in transforming the evidence base by evaluating nine medicines to support guidelines and care decisions world-wide for COVID-19 and contribute to antimicrobial stewardship.

CONCLUSION

The PRINCIPLE and PANORAMIC trials represent models of innovation and inclusivity, and exemplify the potential of primary care to lead the way in addressing pressing global health challenges.

Innovative approaches for vaccine trials as a key component of pandemic preparedness - a white paper

BACKGROUND

WHO postulates the application of adaptive design features in the global clinical trial ecosystem. However, the adaptive platform trial (APT) methodology has not been widely adopted in clinical research on vaccines.

METHODS

The VACCELERATE Consortium organized a two-day workshop to discuss the applicability of APT methodology in vaccine trials under non-pandemic as well as pandemic conditions. Core aspects of the discussions are summarized in this article.

RESULTS

An "ever-warm" APT appears ideally suited to improve efficiency and speed of vaccine research. Continuous learning based on accumulating APT trial data allows for pre-planned adaptations during its course. Given the relative design complexity, alignment of all stakeholders at all stages of an APT is central. Vaccine trial modelling is crucial, both before and in a pandemic emergency. Various inferential paradigms are possible (frequentist, likelihood, or Bayesian). The focus in the interpandemic interval may be on research gaps left by industry trials. For activation in emergency, template Disease X protocols of syndromal design for pathogens yet unknown need to be stockpiled and updated regularly. Governance of a vaccine APT should be fully integrated into supranational pandemic response mechanisms.

DISCUSSION

A broad range of adaptive features can be applied in platform trials on vaccines. Faster knowledge generation comes with increased complexity of trial design. Design complexity should not preclude simple execution at trial sites. Continuously generated evidence represents a return on investment that will garner societal support for sustainable funding. Adaptive design features will naturally find their way into platform trials on vaccines.

The DAWN antivirals trial: process evaluation of a COVID-19 trial in general practice

BACKGROUND

The DAWN antivirals trial was a multicentric, randomised placebo-controlled trial evaluating antiviral medication for COVID-19 in general practice. The trial was prematurely terminated because of insufficient recruitment.

AIM

To explore which factors contributed to the premature termination.

DESIGN & SETTING

General practice in Belgium.

METHOD

Patients were randomised to camostat or placebo (patients and physicians blinded) between June 2021 and July 2022; a third arm evaluating molnupiravir (open label) was opened in March 2022. The outcome assessor was blinded for all comparisons except for the patient reported outcomes in case of molnupiravir. The authors analysed available trial data and evaluated trial context, implementation, and mechanisms of impact based on semi-structured interviews with trial stakeholders.

RESULTS

The trial recruited 44 participants; 19 were allocated to camostat (median age 55 years), 8 to molnupiravir (median age 60 years), and 17 to placebo (median age 56 years). There were no serious adverse events in either group. Most difficulties were related to the pandemic context: disruption to routine clinical services; multiple changes to the service model for COVID-19 patients; overwhelmed clinical staff; delays of trial medication; and staff shortages in the sponsor and clinical team. In addition, regulatory approval processes were lengthy and led to additional study procedures. It was felt that the trial started too late, when vaccinations had already begun.

CONCLUSION

The DAWN antivirals trial was stopped prematurely. Although many barriers were related to the pandemic itself, hurdles such as a small and inexperienced sponsor and clinical teams, delays in regulatory processes, and research capacity in routine settings could be overcome by established research infrastructure and standardisation of processes.

Coordination of COVID-19 platform trials in Europe

To ensure optimal coordination of the EU-funded COVID-19 platform trials, a double coordination mechanism was established. It included the Trial Coordination Board (TCB) to promote the dialogue between investigators and relevant public health stakeholders and the Joint Access Advisory Mechanism (JAAM) to streamline access of new intervention arms to the platform trials. Both the TCB and the JAAM emerged as efficient instruments to promote cooperation and optimise the use of resources within EU-funded adaptive platform trials. In addition, an adaptive platform trial toolbox was developed to collect information and literature on challenges and solutions identified to date. The recently funded 'Coordination MEchanism for Cohorts and Trials' (CoMeCT) project will endeavour to make this model sustainable, with a further expansion to other emerging infectious diseases, as part of the governance of the current and future platform trials for pandemic preparedness. This example could serve as a model for platform trial coordination in other disease areas.

Operational complexities in international clinical trials: a systematic review of challenges and proposed solutions

OBJECTIVE

International trials can be challenging to operationalise due to incompatibilities between country-specific policies and infrastructures. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the operational complexities of conducting international trials and identify potential solutions for overcoming them.

DESIGN

Systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

Medline, Embase and Health Management Information Consortium were searched from 2006 to 30 January 2023.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

All studies reporting operational challenges (eg, site selection, trial management, intervention management, data management) of conducting international trials were included.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Search results were independently screened by at least two reviewers and data were extracted into a proforma.

RESULTS

38 studies (35 RCTs, 2 reports and 1 qualitative study) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The median sample size was 1202 (IQR 332-4056) and median number of sites was 40 (IQR 13-78). 88.6% of studies had an academic sponsor and 80% were funded through government sources. Operational complexities were particularly reported during trial set-up due to lack of harmonisation in regulatory approvals and in relation to sponsorship structure, with associated budgetary impacts. Additional challenges included site selection, staff training, lengthy contract negotiations, site monitoring, communication, trial oversight, recruitment, data management, drug procurement and distribution, pharmacy involvement and biospecimen processing and transport.

CONCLUSIONS

International collaborative trials are valuable in cases where recruitment may be difficult, diversifying participation and applicability. However, multiple operational and regulatory challenges are encountered when implementing a trial in multiple countries. Careful planning and communication between trials units and investigators, with an emphasis on establishing adequately resourced cross-border sponsorship structures and regulatory approvals, may help to overcome these barriers and realise the benefits of the approach. OPEN SCIENCE FRAMEWORK REGISTRATION NUMBER: osf-registrations-yvtjb-v1.

Clinical trials and their impact on policy during COVID-19: a review

Background

Of over 8,000 recorded randomised trials addressing COVID-19, around 80% were of treatments, and 17% have reported results. Approximately 1% were adaptive or platform trials, with 25 having results available, across 29 journal articles and 10 preprint articles.

Methods

We conducted an extensive literature review to address four questions about COVID-19 trials, particularly the role and impact of platform/adaptive trials and lessons learned.

Results

The key findings were: Q1. Social value in conducting trials and uptake into policy? COVID-19 drug treatments varied substantially and changed considerably, with drugs found effective in definitive clinical trials replacing unproven drugs. Dexamethasone has likely saved ½-2 million lives, and was cost effective across a range of countries and populations, whereas the cost effectiveness of remdesivir is uncertain. Published economic and health system impacts of COVID-19 treatments were infrequent. Q2. Issues with adaptive trial designs. Of the 77 platform trials registered, 6 major platform trials, with approximately 50 treatment arms, recruited ~135,000 participants with funding over $100 million. Q3. Models of good practice. Streamlined set-up processes such as flexible and fast-track funding, ethics, and governance approvals are vital. To facilitate recruitment, simple and streamlined research processes, and pre-existing research networks to coordinate trial planning, design, conduct and practice change are crucial to success. Q4. Potential conflicts to avoid? When treating patients through trials, balancing individual and collective rights and allocating scarce resources between healthcare and research are challenging. Tensions occur between commercial and non-commercial sectors, and academic and public health interests, such as publication and funding driven indicators and the public good.

Conclusion

There is a need to (i) reduce small, repetitive, single centre trials, (ii) increase coordination to ensure robust research conducted for treatments, and (iii) a wider adoption of adaptive/platform trial designs to respond to fast-evolving evidence landscape.

Towards achieving transnational research partnership equity: lessons from implementing adaptive platform trials in low- and middle-income countries

Background

Use of adaptive clinical trials, particularly adaptive platform trials, has grown exponentially in response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Implementation of these trials in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has been fostered through the formation or modification of transnational research partnerships, typically between research groups from LMICs and high-income countries (HICs). While these partnerships are important to promote collaboration and overcome the structural and economic disadvantages faced by LMIC health researchers, it is critical to focus attention on the multiple dimensions of partnership equity.

Methods

Based on informal literature reviews and a meeting with leaders of one of the multinational COVID-19 adaptive platform trials, we describe some important considerations about research partnership equity in this context.

Results

We organize these considerations into eight thematic categories: 1) epistemic structures, 2) funding, 3) ethics oversight, 4) regulatory oversight, 5) leadership, 6) post-trial access to interventions, data, and specimens, 7) knowledge translation and dissemination, and 8) research capacity strengthening and maintenance. Within each category we review normative claims that support its relevance to research partnership equity followed by discussion of how adaptive platform trials highlight new dimensions, considerations, or challenges.

Conclusion

In aggregate, these observations provide insight into procedural and substantive equity-building measures within transnational global health research partnerships more broadly.

A rapid review of community engagement and informed consent processes for adaptive platform trials and alternative design trials for public health emergencies

Background : Public Health Emergencies (PHE) demand expeditious research responses to evaluate new or repurposed therapies and prevention strategies. Alternative Design Trials (ADTs) and Adaptive Platform Trials (APTs) have enabled efficient large-scale testing of biomedical interventions during recent PHEs. Design features of these trials may have implications for engagement and/or informed consent processes. We aimed to rapidly review evidence on engagement and informed consent for ADTs and APTs during PHE to consider what (if any) recommendations can inform practice. Method : In 2022, we searched 8 prominent databases for relevant peer reviewed publications and guidelines for ADTs/APTs in PHE contexts. Articles were selected based on pre-identified inclusion and exclusion criteria. We reviewed protocols and informed consent documents for a sample of large platform trials and consulted with key informants from ADTs/APT trial teams. Data were extracted and summarised using narrative synthesis. Results : Of the 49 articles included, 10 were guidance documents, 14 discussed engagement, 10 discussed informed consent, and 15 discussed both. Included articles addressed ADTs delivered during the West African Ebola epidemic and APTs delivered during COVID-19. PHE clinical research guidance documents highlight the value of ADTs/APTs and the importance of community engagement, but do not provide practice-specific guidance for engagement or informed consent. Engagement and consent practice for ADTs conducted during the West African Ebola epidemic have been well-documented. For COVID-19, engagement and consent practice was described for APTs primarily delivered in high income countries with well-developed health service structures. A key consideration is strong communication of the complexity of trial design in clear, accessible ways. Conclusion: We highlight key considerations for best practice in community engagement and informed consent relevant to ADTs and APTs for PHEs which may helpfully be included in future guidance. Protocol: The review protocol is published online at Prospero on 15/06/2022: registration number CRD42022334170.

Simple prediction of COVID-19 convalescent plasma units with high levels of neutralization antibodies

BACKGROUND

Hyperimmune convalescent COVID-19 plasma (CCP) containing anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) was proposed as a therapeutic option for patients early in the new coronavirus disease pandemic. The efficacy of this therapy depends on the quantity of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) in the CCP units, with titers ≥ 1:160 being recommended. The standard neutralizing tests (NTs) used for determining appropriate CCP donors are technically demanding and expensive and take several days. We explored whether they could be replaced by high-throughput serology tests and a set of available clinical data.

METHODS

Our study included 1302 CCP donors after PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection. To predict donors with high NAb titers, we built four (4) multiple logistic regression models evaluating the relationships of demographic data, COVID-19 symptoms, results of various serological testing, the period between disease and donation, and COVID-19 vaccination status.

RESULTS

The analysis of the four models showed that the chemiluminescent microparticle assay (CMIA) for the quantitative determination of IgG Abs to the RBD of the S1 subunit of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was enough to predict the CCP units with a high NAb titer. CCP donors with respective results > 850 BAU/ml SARS-CoV-2 IgG had a high probability of attaining sufficient NAb titers. Including additional variables such as donor demographics, clinical symptoms, or time of donation into a particular predictive model did not significantly increase its sensitivity and specificity.

CONCLUSION

A simple quantitative serological determination of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies alone is satisfactory for recruiting CCP donors with high titer NAbs.

Towards achieving transnational research partnership equity: lessons from implementing adaptive platform trials in low- and middle-income countries

Background: Use of adaptive clinical trials, particularly adaptive platform trials, has grown exponentially in response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Implementation of these trials in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has been fostered through the formation or modification of transnational research partnerships, typically between research groups from LMICs and high-income countries (HICs). While these partnerships are important to promote collaboration and overcome the structural and economic disadvantages faced by LMIC health researchers, it is critical to focus attention on the multiple dimensions of partnership equity. Methods: Based on informal literature reviews and meetings with leaders of one of the multinational COVID-19 adaptive platform trials, we describe what can be learned about research partnership equity from these experiences. Results: We organize these considerations into eight thematic categories: 1) epistemic structures, 2) funding, 3) ethics oversight, 4) regulatory oversight, 5) leadership, 6) post-trial access to interventions, data, and specimens, 7) knowledge translation, and 8) research capacity strengthening and maintenance. Within each category we review the normative claims that support its relevance to research partnership equity followed by discussion of how adaptive platform trials highlight new dimensions, considerations, or challenges. Conclusion: These observations provide insight into procedural and substantive equity-building measures within transnational global health research partnerships more broadly.

Challenges of data sharing in European Covid-19 projects: A learning opportunity for advancing pandemic preparedness and response

The COVID-19 pandemic saw a massive investment into collaborative research projects with a focus on producing data to support public health decisions. We relay our direct experience of four projects funded under the Horizon2020 programme, namely ReCoDID, ORCHESTRA, unCoVer and SYNCHROS. The projects provide insight into the complexities of sharing patient level data from observational cohorts. We focus on compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and ethics approvals when sharing data across national borders. We discuss procedures for data mapping; submission of new international codes to standards organisation; federated approach; and centralised data curation. Finally, we put forward recommendations for the development of guidelines for the application of GDPR in case of major public health threats; mandatory standards for data collection in funding frameworks; training and capacity building for data owners; cataloguing of international use of metadata standards; and dedicated funding for identified critical areas.

Tuberculosis in the Russian Federation: Dynamics of the Epidemic Indicators before and after COVID-19 Pandemic

The measures taken against tuberculosis (TB) in recent years in the Russian Federation have been highly effective. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic may seriously undermine the progress that has been made in the fight against TB. The aim of this study was to assess changes in the epidemiological rates of tuberculosis in the Russian Federation before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods. The analysis was conducted by considering the main epidemiological indicators of tuberculosis, according to the federal statistics for the period from 2017 to 2021. The parameters were estimated according to the data received from 11 areas in the North-Western region. Statistical analysis was carried out using the free software computing environment R (v.3.5.1) and the commercial software package Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 24.0, IBM Corp., 2016). Research results. We found a positive correlation between the incidence among the overall population and the incidence among children aged 0–17, inclusively (r = 0.55 in 2017, r = 0.60 in 2020, and r = 0.53 in 2021). Along with the received regularities, a different trend is shown in the data analysis of general incidence and health X-ray examination for tuberculosis among the general population. The correlation has decreased threefold from 2017 (r = 0.72) to 2020 (r = 0.32); this negative trend might be the result of factors such as the quality of X-ray screening examinations among the general population, and the reduced assessment objectivity of the tuberculosis incidence rate. Conclusions. In assessing the correlation between general incidence and incidence in children under 17 years of age, as well as between incidence and mortality in the Russian Federation, a positive correlation was found with an increasing trend. Such a discrepancy might be due to decreases in the occupational health examination coverage among the general population. Therefore, in the years ahead, we can expect epidemiological indicators to increase incidence and mortality, including child mortality, associated with the insufficient detection of tuberculosis among the population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saving millions of lives but some resources squandered: emerging lessons from health research system pandemic achievements and challenges

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, astonishingly rapid research averted millions of deaths worldwide through new vaccines and repurposed and new drugs. Evidence use informed life-saving national policies including non-pharmaceutical interventions. Simultaneously, there was unprecedented waste, with many underpowered trials on the same drugs. We identified lessons from COVID-19 research responses by applying WHO's framework for research systems. It has four functions-governance, securing finance, capacity-building, and production and use of research-and nine components. Two linked questions focused the analysis. First, to what extent have achievements in knowledge production and evidence use built on existing structures and capacity in national health research systems? Second, did the features of such systems mitigate waste? We collated evidence on seven countries, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, to identify examples of achievements and challenges.We used the data to develop lessons for each framework component. Research coordination, prioritization and expedited ethics approval contributed to rapid identification of new therapies, including dexamethasone in the United Kingdom and Brazil. Accelerated vaccines depended on extensive funding, especially through the Operation Warp Speed initiative in the United States, and new platforms created through long-term biomedical research capacity in the United Kingdom and, for messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines, in Canada, Germany and the United States. Research capacity embedded in the United Kingdom's healthcare system resulted in trial acceleration and waste avoidance. Faster publication of research saved lives, but raised challenges. Public/private collaborations made major contributions to vastly accelerating new products, available worldwide, though unequally. Effective developments of living (i.e. regularly updated) reviews and guidelines, especially in Australia and Canada, extended existing expertise in meeting users' needs. Despite complexities, effective national policy responses (less evident in Brazil, the United Kingdom and the United States) also saved lives by drawing on health research system features, including collaboration among politicians, civil servants and researchers; good communications; and willingness to use evidence. Comprehensive health research strategies contributed to success in research production in the United Kingdom and in evidence use by political leadership in New Zealand. In addition to waste, challenges included equity issues, public involvement and non-COVID research. We developed recommendations, but advocate studies of further countries.

Advances in diagnostic tools for respiratory tract infections: from tuberculosis to COVID-19 - changing paradigms?

Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are one of the most common reasons for seeking healthcare, but are amongst the most challenging diseases in terms of clinical decision-making. Proper and timely diagnosis is critical in order to optimise management and prevent further emergence of antimicrobial resistance by misuse or overuse of antibiotics. Diagnostic tools for RTIs include those involving syndromic and aetiological diagnosis: from clinical and radiological features to laboratory methods targeting both pathogen detection and host biomarkers, as well as their combinations in terms of clinical algorithms. They also include tools for predicting severity and monitoring treatment response. Unprecedented milestones have been achieved in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, involving the most recent applications of diagnostic technologies both at genotypic and phenotypic level, which have changed paradigms in infectious respiratory diseases in terms of why, how and where diagnostics are performed. The aim of this review is to discuss advances in diagnostic tools that impact clinical decision-making, surveillance and follow-up of RTIs and tuberculosis. If properly harnessed, recent advances in diagnostic technologies, including omics and digital transformation, emerge as an unprecedented opportunity to tackle ongoing and future epidemics while handling antimicrobial resistance from a One Health perspective.