Southampton researchers help lead national COVID-19 antiviral treatment trial

A first-of-its-kind clinical trial has been launched for COVID-19 antiviral treatments that can be safely taken at home.

Southampton researchers are helping lead the national trial that has today started enrolling eligible people across the region.

The trial will rapidly assess a range of oral treatments which could help clinically vulnerable people with COVID-19 in the community recover sooner. This will prevent some need for hospital admissions and ease the burden on the NHS.

These new antiviral treatments are intended for use in the very early stages of infection.

People can join the study if they are aged 50 and over, or between 18 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that make them clinically more vulnerable. All participants also need to have had a positive COVID-19 test and be within five days of the onset of symptoms.

Testing new treatments

The PANORAMIC study brings together GP practices, NHS 111, Test and Trace, care homes, pharmacies and other NHS and social care service providers across the UK. They will actively identify potential participants, invite them to take part and support their participation.

Local people who meet the eligibility criteria can also sign-up to take part in the study directly through the trial website: https://www.panoramictrial.org/

The trial’s Chief Investigator, Professor Chris Butler, Professor of Primary Care at Oxford University's Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, said:

“It is early on in the illness, when people are still being cared for in the community, that treatments for COVID-19 could have their greatest benefit. So far, a lot of the research has focussed on finding out if well-known drugs can be repurposed to treat COVID-19. This new trial will test whether exciting, new antiviral treatments that are more specific to COVID-19 help people in the community recover faster and reduce the need for treatment in hospital.”

COVID antiviral pill

The UK Antivirals Taskforce has selected all the treatments to be tested. The first will be molnupiravir (brand name, Lagevrio) - a COVID antiviral pill - that has already been licensed by the MHRA.

Over 20,000 volunteers are needed across the UK. Half will be randomly allocated to receive the antiviral treatment plus standard care, while the other half will receive standard care alone. This will help establish the benefit of each treatment compared against standard care.

All participants will take part from their own homes, without needing to visit a clinic or a hospital. Participants randomised to the group that receives an antiviral treatment will have their medicines sent directly to their homes by courier. Participants will keep a daily diary for 28 days through the PANORAMIC website or receive a phone call from the trial team on days 7, 14 and 28 to speak about their symptoms and any NHS care they have needed.

‘Addressing a major gap’ for higher risk patients

The University of Southampton is partnering with the University of Oxford, several other UK universities, GPs, the NIHR and the NHS to help deliver this national priority trial at pace and scale across the UK.

Professor Paul Little, Professor of Primary Care Research at the University of Southampton and Co-Chief Investigator of the trial, said:

“This is a vital trial addressing a major gap in our ability to treat patients who are at higher risk of serious COVID-19 illness in the community. Antiviral treatments that are quickly despatched to patients to take safely in their own homes could be an important way to manage the illness in more vulnerable patients, slow the spread of the virus, and keep hospital and ITU admissions down.

“The anti-viral drugs only work during the first five days of symptoms, so rapid assessment is needed. I would encourage anyone over the age of 50 (or under 50 with other major medical problems) who tests positive for COVID-19 to consider registering for this trial and help us find more ways to fight this illness.”