More clinical trials for DMD running in Glasgow thanks to the DMD Hub
The DMD Hub, a project funded by Duchenne UK, aims to expand capacity for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) clinical trials in the UK.
By funding staff posts at hospital sites across the UK, the DMD Hub has enabled these sites to run additional clinical trials, meaning more boys have been able to take part in research into new treatments.
The DMD Hub funded three posts at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow in 2018; a Clinical Research Associate, Study Coordinator, and Physiotherapist. These roles played an essential role in setting up and running four trials for DMD treatments (VISION, ESSENCE 4045-310, RACER-53 and TAM-DMD).
Despite the challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the site accepted all DMD clinical trials that they were offered and successfully recruited patients to all four trials.
The DMD Hub’s funding model encourages posts to be co-funded after the initial year and sustained by the NHS Trust once the DMD Hub’s grant has ended, with income from the trials helping to make this possible. The model has worked well at Glasgow with the Study Coordinator and Physiotherapist being made permanent posts, and the Clinical Research associate being promoted to a Consultant position within the Trust. This will allow the site to continue to run effective DMD trials.
Michelle Young, a Stirlingshire-based mum to a boy with DMD said: “We are delighted that the posts funded through the DMD Hub have been made substantive by the Trust, helping ensure the site can continue to run trials in DMD. Before the DMD Hub funded these posts, boys from Scotland wanting to take part in trials were having to travel to sites in England, increasing the burden on patients and families. With the increased visit schedule of some of the current trials this out of area travel may have made trial participation unfeasible. Having a site in Scotland can make the difference between Scottish boys having the opportunity to take part in DMD clinical trials or not.”
Find out more about how the DMD Hub is expanding access to clinical trials and register for trial updates at dmdhub.org