Swansea Bay to support new UK trial for COVID-19 vaccine

Swansea Bay University Health Board and Public Health Wales are looking for volunteers to participate in the latest clinical trial studying a vaccine against COVID-19.

Swansea Bay to support new UK trial for COVID-19 vaccine

Swansea Bay University Health Board and Public Health Wales are looking for volunteers to participate in the latest clinical trial studying a vaccine against COVID-19.

It is the first study to test a plant-derived COVID-19 vaccine candidate, and will evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Coronavirus-Like Particle COVID-19 Vaccine (CoVLP).

The vaccine has already been through early phase human studies and now requires testing on a large scale and a study involving 1,500 people across the UK is starting. The aim is to recruit volunteers between 18 – 39 years old and who live in Swansea and the local areas.

The study will involve volunteers making a maximum of 10 visits to the study site over approximately 26 months. Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed and volunteers will receive payment for participating in this study. 

The Medicago vaccine study will run across fourteen sites in the United Kingdom, in addition to multiple sites in the United States, Canada, Europe and Latin America. The study will enrol up to 30,000 volunteers worldwide.

Dr Brendan Healy, Principle Investigator for the Medicago trial and Consultant in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at Public Health Wales, said: “We are all now starting to see the beneficial effects of COVID-19 vaccinations. Whilst it is encouraging that we already have access to three vaccines in the UK it is very important that we continue to develop vaccines so there is greater choice and an ability to select vaccines based on their individual benefits. Medicago’s plant-derived COVID-19 vaccine has already been through early-phase human studies. I am delighted Swansea Bay will be recruiting in partnership with Public Health Wales into the next phase of this vaccine’s development. I would like to encourage people living in the Swansea Bay and the surrounding areas to consider taking part.”

Interested individuals are invited to sign up to the trial website here.

Bae Abertawe i gefnogi treial newydd yn y DU ar gyfer brechlyn COVID-19

Mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe ac Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn chwilio am wirfoddolwyr i gymryd rhan yn y treial clinigol diweddaraf sy'n astudio brechlyn yn erbyn COVID-19.

Dyma'r astudiaeth gyntaf i brofi ymgeisydd brechlyn COVID-19 sy'n deillio o blanhigion, a bydd yn gwerthuso effeithiolrwydd a diogelwch y Brechlyn COVID-19 Gronynnol tebyg i Goronafeirws (CoVLP).

Mae'r brechlyn eisoes wedi bod trwy astudiaethau dynol cyfnod cynnar, ac erbyn hyn mae angen ei brofi ar raddfa fawr. Mae astudiaeth ar fin cychwyn sy'n cynnwys 1,500 o bobl ledled y DU, a’r nod yw recriwtio gwirfoddolwyr rhwng 18-39 oed sy'n byw yn Abertawe a'r ardaloedd lleol.

Bydd yr astudiaeth yn cynnwys gwirfoddolwyr yn gwneud uchafswm o 10 ymweliad â safle'r astudiaeth dros oddeutu 26 mis. Ad-delir costau teithio rhesymol a bydd gwirfoddolwyr yn derbyn taliad am gymryd rhan yn yr astudiaeth hon.

Bydd astudiaeth brechlyn Medicago yn rhedeg ar draws pedair ar ddeg o safleoedd yn y Deyrnas Unedig, yn ogystal â sawl safle yn yr Unol Daleithiau, Canada, Ewrop ac America Ladin. Bydd yr astudiaeth yn cofrestru hyd at 30,000 o wirfoddolwyr ledled y byd.

Dywedodd Dr Brendan Healy, Prif Ymchwilydd ar gyfer treial Medicago ac Ymgynghorydd mewn Microbioleg a Chlefydau Heintus yn Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru: “Rydym i gyd nawr yn dechrau gweld effeithiau buddiol brechiadau COVID-19. Er ei bod yn galonogol bod gennym eisoes dri brechlyn yn y DU, mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn parhau i ddatblygu brechlynnau fel bod mwy o ddewis a'r gallu i ddewis brechlynnau ar sail eu buddion unigol. Mae brechlyn COVID-19 sy'n deillio o blanhigion Medicago eisoes wedi bod trwy astudiaethau dynol cyfnod cynnar. Rwy’n falch iawn y bydd Bae Abertawe yn recriwtio mewn partneriaeth ag Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru i gam nesaf datblygiad y brechlyn hwn. Hoffwn annog pobl sy'n byw ym Mae Abertawe a'r ardaloedd cyfagos i ystyried cymryd rhan.”

Gwahoddir unigolion sydd â diddordeb i gofrestu ar wefan y treial yma.

 
Swansea University Students' Union