Patients are now being recruited for a new clinical trial at Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH) focusing on COVID-19 treatment for patients who are immunocompromised. The goal is to determine how long the treatment should continue for the best outcome.
In a healthy individual, your immune system works to clear the body of any viral or bacterial infections. However, certain conditions, medications, or diseases can cause the immune system to become compromised or suppressed. Immunocompromised patients with COVID-19 are at a higher risk of developing severe symptoms.
Paxlovid is an approved treatment for mild-moderate COVID-19. For immunocompromised patients, the current five-day treatment protocol may not be long enough to fully clear the virus from the body. This study will explore the efficacy and safety of various treatment lengths, to determine the most effective protocol.
Dr. Mary Naciuk is the principal investigator for this clinical trial and explains the benefits: “COVID-19 continues to put immunocompromised patients at risk for severe outcomes, prolonged disease, and the generation of new variants. It is important for us to discover the optimal duration of treatment with antivirals.”
The study is open to people who are 12 years of age or older, are immunocompromised, and have recently been diagnosed with COVID-19 with at least one symptom. All participants will receive the study drug for 5, 10 or 15 days. Participants will be enrolled in the study for about six months and will need to attend at least 10 study visits during this time. These visits may be a combination of in-clinic and at-home. The study team will provide more details and help determine if this study is right for your family.
Clinical trials can provide safe, positive impacts for many patients in the future, offering benefits such as new treatments or better drug options. “This study aligns with my clinical interests as a family and emergency doctor who is learning to optimally treat this disease,” adds Dr. Naciuk. “By working with the WDMH research team in a multinational study, we have a unique opportunity to participate in research that can benefit our residents and have a positive global impact.”
To learn more about WDMH’s clinical trials, including this one, please visit www.wdmh.on.ca/clinicaltrials or email research@wdmh.on.ca.
