Researchers in Greater Manchester are calling on adults who test positive for coronavirus to sign up for a 'world-first' study investigating new antiviral treatments.
Scientists need 'thousands' of participants to volunteer to test an oral antiviral drug which can be taken at home, before it can be clinically used.
To take part, participants need to have had a positive Covid-19 test, either a lateral flow or PCR test, and be within five days of symptom onset.
Participants must also be aged 50 or over, or aged 18 or over with a listed pre-existing condition.
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The call for volunteers comes as part of the Platform Adaptive Trial of Novel Antivirals for Early Treatment of Covid-19 In the Community - named PANORAMIC for short - study has enrolled over 6,400 participants across the UK since it opened in December.
Now, researchers are asking for more to come forward to meet the trial’s first recruitment target and generate the evidence to enable the antiviral drug, molnupiravir, to be deployed as soon as possible.
The government and leading charities, including Kidney Care UK, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Diabetes UK and the British Liver Trust, are also calling on eligible people to take part.
The PANORAMIC study, funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and run by the University of Oxford, was set up to rapidly produce evidence needed to enable a new generation of 'potentially revolutionary', orally administered Covid-19 antiviral treatments to be rolled out to those most at risk from the disease.
The study opened for recruitment and began enrolling participants on 8 December 2021 - with a total of 6,460 enrolled by 1 February 2022.
The nation-wide trial aims to recruit over 10,600 participants to each of the treatments that it will investigate.
The antiviral molnupiravir, which is already licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), is the 'first investigational medicinal product to be assessed', according to the NIHR.
Dr Sheila McCorkindale, Specialty Lead for Primary Care at National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network (CRN) Greater Manchester, said: "This landmark trial provides us with an opportunity to gather the extra evidence needed to allow these ground-breaking Covid-19 treatments to be rolled-out widely, as rapidly and safely as possible.
"For this to happen though, we need the public to help by getting involved in the PANORAMIC trial. I would encourage anyone who meets the participation criteria to go to the website to sign-up, or speak to your GP or healthcare professional.
"It's thanks to people taking part in research that we now have a number of vaccines, tests and lifesaving treatments for coronavirus. By taking part in the PANORAMIC trial, you can make a real difference by helping the NHS add to its armoury against the virus."
To take part, participants need to have had a positive Covid-19 test (either a lateral flow or PCR test), and be within five days of symptom onset. Participants must also be aged 50 or over, or aged 18 or over with a listed pre-existing condition.
People who test positive and meet the eligibility criteria can sign up directly via the study website or by calling 0808 156 0017.
All participants take part from their own homes – with the study treatment delivered by courier and no face-to-face visits required.
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