LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Baptist Health Center for Clinical Research has been selected as one of the first two sites in the U.S. to study a novel COVID prevention agent, using two monoclonal antibodies instead of a vaccine. This new study could begin in the next few days.
Baptist Health Center for Clinical Research’s study coincides with a broader nationwide effort, Operation Warp Speed, which was announced in May as a public-private partnership to facilitate, at an unprecedented pace, the development, manufacturing and distribution of COVID-19 measures including vaccines, diagnostics and treatments.
“We are preparing to start the COVID-19 prevention trial in a matter of days,” says Richard G. Pellegrino MD, PhD, CEO and President of Baptist Health Center for Clinical Research. “Participants must be over 18 and there is no upper limit to participate. This is not a vaccine. Instead the antibodies bind to the COVID-19 spike protein and prevent COVID from replicating and thereby prevent disease. Of the participants, 67 percent will get the antibody in the form of a shot and 33 percent of participants will receive the placebo.”
AstraZeneca’s long-acting antibody combination will advance into Phase III clinical trials with approximately 5,000 participants in and outside the U.S. These antibodies have been engineered so that they last longer in the body, as long as six to 12 months following a single administration.
The trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of these antibodies to prevent infection for up to 12 months.
Long-acting antibodies mimic natural antibodies and have the potential to be given as preventative intervention prior to exposure to the virus. These antibodies are a combination of two long-acting antibodies derived from convalescent patients after COVID-19 infection.
If you are interested and would like more information, please visit arkansascovidvaccine.com and fill out the contact form. Filling out the form does not commit you to the study, but you will be contacted to provide more information and to answer additional questions.
Study-related care is available to participants at no cost and health insurance is not required nor needed. Participants will be compensated for time and travel if they qualify and enroll in the study.
Baptist Health Center for Clinical Research operates as the clinical research arm for Baptist Health. Since 2013, it has participated in over 100 studies in areas like internal medicine, neurology, vaccines, infectious disease, orthopedics, men’s health and women’s health. For more information about the Center for Clinical Research’s current studies and how to participate, visit bhccr.com.
For nearly 100 years, Baptist Health has delivered all our best in health care through Christian compassion and innovative services. Baptist Health is Arkansas’ most comprehensive health care organization with more than 250 points of access that include 11 hospitals; urgent care centers; a senior living community; over 100 primary and specialty care clinics; a college with studies in nursing and allied health; a graduate residency program; and access to virtual care anytime, anywhere. It is also the largest private not-for-profit health care organization based in Arkansas, providing care through the support of approximately 11,000 employees, groundbreaking treatments, renowned physicians and community outreach programs. For more information about Baptist Health, visit baptist-health.com, call Baptist Health HealthLine at 1-888-BAPTIST or download the myBaptistHealth app. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.