Renal research team recruit first UK patient to a study on cardiovascular calcification in haemodialysis patients

The renal research team at Manchester Royal Infirmary have successfully enrolled the first UK patient on to study investigating cardiovascular calcification in haemodialysis patients.

The study will assess the effect of the study drug, SNF472, on the progression of cardiovascular calcification on top of standard of care in end-stage-renal-disease patients on haemodialysis.

The build-up of calcium in the blood vessels is a result of kidney malfunction and puts patients at an increased risk of developing serious heart problems.

The study, led locally by Professor Alastair Hutchison, Consultant Nephrologist, will investigate whether the treatment will reduce the progression of cardiovascular calcification when compared to placebo.

Up to 450 patients from about 75 study centers in the United States and Europe will be asked to join the study.

In the UK, the study will be conducted at approximately 10 hospitals and it is hoped about 50 patients will participate.

The study’s lead nurse, Janet Bendle, who is one of six research nurses in the renal department, said:

Recruitment is very competitive, so to get the first UK patient on board is great news for our team and credit must go to everyone involved.

However, we still have our all-important recruitment target to meet and we will continue to work just as hard to ensure we achieve that goal.

Following the study screening period, recruited patients will undergo a 52-week study treatment period.

During that time, patients receive the study drug three times a week through a dialysis machine during their routine dialysis visits.

In addition, patients undergo a number of tests during key visits in the treatment period.

Recruitment for the study, sponsored by Sanifit, of Palma de Mallorca, Spain, is expected to run until November 2017. The study is supported by the NIHR Clinical Research Network: Greater Manchester.