Corby jab study needs baby recruits for immunisation research trial

A Europe-wide research programme will expand to Corby as doctors look to recruit babies for an immunisation research trial.

Corby-based Lakeside Research is recruiting infant participants for the HARMONIE Research Study.

Parents of babies aged up to 12 months are being asked to consider signing them up for the study, which looks at how strongly babies can be protected from serious illness due to RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus).

Dr Amardeep Heer, director of research and innovation at Lakeside Research, said: “We would really appreciate the help of parents in the participation of their children in this study as RSV is an important cause of ill-health in children in their early years. This immunisation has already been administered in over 3,000 infants and this study is an important part of the process towards developing an immunisation for all infants to prevent serious RSV infections.”

RSV is a common seasonal virus that infects nearly all babies by their second birthday. Most of the time it causes a mild illness, like a cold. However, for some babies, it leads to more severe lung problems, such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.

The preventative antibody is the result of many years of research by Sanofi and AstaZeneca and has already been given to more than 3,000 babies.

Now as many as 28,860 babies, from newborns to those aged 12-months-old, are being invited to take part in further studies in the UK, France and Germany.

The study includes one visit to the study site when the antibody dose is given, before parents will be asked to complete a simple monthly diary entry at home for six months. Finally, there will be a follow-up telephone call with the research team 12 months after the study visit. Any child born after December 31, 2021, is eligible to take part.

Babies will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive the antibody by an injection into their thigh, while in the other group no jab will be given.

For more information on the Harmonie Study at Lakeside Healthcare visit: https://www.thelakesidesurgery.co.uk/news/respiratory-syncytial-virus-protection