Researchers in children’s health and PPD explore opportunities for joint working
On 16 October CMFT researchers* representing eight paediatric sub-specialities met with the clinical study team from PPD, a leading global clinical research organisation that manages commercial clinical trials. Our consultants presented summaries of their team’s clinical and research expertise, patient populations in particular disease areas, and their aspirations relating to potential clinical trials.
Chaired by Professor Nick Webb, Director of the NIHR / Wellcome Trust Manchester Clinical Research Facility (CRF), and supported by the NIHR Clinical Research Network: Greater Manchester (CRN: GM), the meeting was an opportunity for both parties to build upon the working relationship established through the international paediatric investigator network that PPD announced earlier this year.
Many researchers at CMFT are internationally recognised for research and care in complex diseases, and this coupled with our excellent research facilities and our unique 24/7 NIHR/Wellcome Trust Manchester Clinical Research Facility with dedicated children’s facility makes Manchester an attractive research study site.
Professor Nick Webb explains: “As the largest children’s hospital in the UK, research at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital spans the breadth of paediatric disease areas across a large multi-cultural population with significant health burden. Many patients cared for by our children’s CRF suffer from complex health conditions, for which there are no treatments currently available.
We are very proud to have been selected as the first European centre for PPD’s paediatric investigator network, the only centre located in England, one of two in the UK and only one of 10 worldwide,
Webb continued. “Working with PPD and its pharmaceutical clients enables us to offer our patients cutting-edge treatments before they come on to the market.”
Mark Sorrentino, M.D., executive medical director and chair of PPD’s paediatric practice area, noted that the company’s network is working effectively with its clients to provide state-of-the-art clinical trial delivery across the globe. “Establishing formal relationships with strategically important centres like Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that have significant paediatric clinical trial expertise, a proven track record of superior quality and the ability to recruit paediatric patients demonstrates our commitment to partnering with our clients to bring life-changing medications to market faster and at less cost.”
