More than 250 patients sign up for Hartlepool hospital vaccine trial

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust was named one of a series of “pioneering” bodies to help efforts by US biotechnology giant Novavax in creating a new virus vaccine.

The regional arm of the trial was launched in October from the University Hospital of Hartlepool.

Chief executive Julie Gillon told the trust’s latest board meeting how 253 patients had been recruited as of October 29.

The news comes as England prepares to enter a second national lockdown to help deal with soaring levels of cases across the country.

“We are likely to see the vaccine come into being in the later part of this year from the national perspective,” Ms Gillon told members of the board.

Papers for last week’s board meeting stated exact time-scales on an approved vaccine for covid were “yet to be confirmed” – adding that “intelligence suggests it is unlikely to be this calendar year”.

The report added: “While the delay is disappointing, the covid-19 vaccine, likely to be a two stage vaccine (28 days apart), is now unlikely to have a negative impact on the seasonal flu campaign.”

However, the trust chief told the board new research had suggested a reduced time between stages of the vaccine being administered.

Ms Gillon explained this would make it easier for covid and flu vaccines to be managed together.

The trial is designed to test the safety and effectiveness of the new vaccine as part of “phase three” of the process.

This aims to study its effects on a much larger population from a variety age groups and backgrounds from across Teesside and the North-east

If the trials are successful, then 60m doses of the vaccine are set to be manufactured at Billingham-based Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies in a bid to supply it as quickly as possible if and when it is approved by regulators.

Board member Jonathan Erskine said the trial was a great accolade for research in the region.

“It will undoubtedly make a difference to some people in this area,” he added.

“Some of them may get the active ingredient and others will get placebos.

“But, nonetheless, it’s really important in terms of our profile.”

Last month, patients at North Tees became some of the first in the UK to be given a specialist REGN-COV2 antibody treatment to target covid as part of a separate trial.

It’s thought that REGN-COV2 could help reduce viral load in infected patients, and the time it takes for symptoms to subside.

When it came to a vaccine, board chairman Paul Garvin said it was good to note it was “coming down the line”.

He added: “There is the hope it will be available for NHS staff before much longer – and that the gap between different vaccinations can be reduced.”

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