Barts Health vaccine trials centre receives a VIP visit
Colleagues at the vaccines trials centre received a visit last week from group chief executive, Alwen Williams and Professor Sir Mark Caulfield, chair of the Barts Health and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) Covid-19 research delivery and operations group.
Together with Gerry Leonard, director for research development, they came to view the trials centre and meet and thank the team for their efforts in setting up and successfully delivering the trust’s first Covid-19 vaccine trial.
The trials centre is situated in the historic Bethnal Green Library, based in the heart of the east-end London community. The grade II listed building closed its doors to the public at the start of the pandemic and remained closed until the Barts Health research delivery group recognised its potential as a trials site.
In September 2020, having worked closely with local authority partners, Barts Health entered the building and began work to convert it into a bespoke vaccine trials centre. With an estimated UK start date of 7 November for the Janssen ENSEMBLE 2 trial, the challenge was on to fit-out and staff a bespoke vaccines trials centre within two months.
The centre had to meet the rigorous standards required by regulatory bodies such as the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) and Health Research Authority (HRA) and have the capacity to handle up to 40 participants every day, in a Covid-19 safe way. The trust team, led by Group Clinical Services, and comprised of colleagues from ICT, estates, research and many more, worked closely with the local authority to ensure the conversion protected the buildings original features while still allowing the safe delivery of Covid-19 vaccine trials.
Alwen, Mark and Gerry were shown around the centre by members of the research team, including Claudio Melchiorri, GCS research operations manager and Professor Patrick Kennedy, principal investigator for the ENSEMBLE 2 trial.
During their visit, they met and spoke with some of the research nurses, medical students and volunteers who have contributed to the successful delivery of this trial. Now closed to recruitment and awaiting results, 682 participants were recruited to the ENSEMBLE 2 trial at the Bethnal Green library, making Barts Health the top recruiting site in the UK.
The team had a chance to share some of their experiences over the past few months, including some of the positive feedback they’ve received from local residents who took part in the trial. Even though recruitment to the trial has closed, the team are still working at the library. They are seeing ENSEMBLE 2 participants for follow-up appointments and making preparations for upcoming vaccine trials.
Speaking about her visit to the centre, Dame Alwen Williams said: “The vaccines trials centre is a shining example of the hard work and determination our staff have demonstrated throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, they have brought research right into the heart of our local community, helping ensure that any and all trials carried out at the centre are representative of, and of benefit to, the communities served by Barts Health. Well done to everyone involved and I look forward to seeing the successful delivery of more clinical trials at this centre.”
Professor Sir Mark Caulfield said: “The team at the Barts Health vaccines trials centre have demonstrated great spirit, energy and resilience when setting up this centre and running this trial. Their efforts are even more impressive considering the extremely challenging circumstances in which they have had to do so. To be named top UK recruiting site is an achievement worthy of celebration and my heartfelt thanks go to everyone, both frontline staff and those involved behind the scenes.”
Claudio Melchiorri said: "On behalf of the entire team, I would like to thank Alwen, Mark and Gerry for their visit. The success of the vaccines trials centre has been made possible by the extraordinary way that each member of staff has risen to the challenge. I feel privileged to work with dedicated and assiduous colleagues."
For information about Covid-19 research, please visit JRMO or Take Part at Barts Health.