The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is supporting 14 new clinical trials with an investment of over $43 million, aimed at bolstering Canada's response to health emergencies and advancing its life sciences sector. Among these, four trials will be led by researchers at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC). This initiative is part of the Canadian government's broader strategy to enhance biomanufacturing and life sciences capabilities.
RI-MUHC Leading Four Key Trials
The RI-MUHC researchers leading the funded clinical trials are:
- Patrick Lawler, MD: CLEAR-HORIZONS Post-Sepsis Platform Trial: Statin Pilot RCT. This trial will investigate the use of statins in improving outcomes for patients recovering from sepsis.
- Dick Menzies, MD: Finding the right balance: An adaptive trial to identify the safest regimen with the shortest duration for TB prevention (treatment of TB Infection). This adaptive trial aims to optimize the treatment regimen for tuberculosis (TB) prevention, focusing on safety and duration.
- Ruth Sapir-Pichhadze, MD, PhD: Efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccine Co-administration and Interval in Immunocompromised hosts (CO2I2 Trial). This trial will assess the efficacy and safety of co-administering COVID-19 vaccines with other vaccines, as well as different intervals between doses, in immunocompromised individuals.
- Makeda Semret, MD: Biomarker-signature Supported Antibiotic Treatment Decisions in ICU (BAST-ICU). This trial will evaluate the use of biomarker signatures to guide antibiotic treatment decisions in intensive care units (ICU), aiming to improve antibiotic stewardship and patient outcomes.
Government and Institutional Support
The funding for these clinical trials is provided through the CIHR Clinical Trials Fund, a component of Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy and Canada’s Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research. The Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, emphasized the importance of these trials in advancing life-saving treatments. Dr. Rhian Touyz, Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer of the RI-MUHC, highlighted the institution's capacity for innovation, supported by the Centre for Innovative Medicine, which provides resources for developing new treatments and tools. Dr. Tammy Clifford, Acting President of the CIHR, expressed enthusiasm for the potential impact of these trials on protecting Canadians from significant health threats.
