First treatments delivered by new Queen Square Clinical Trial Centre

The Queen Square Clinical Trial Centre (QSCTC) has successfully delivered its first investigational medicinal product (IMP) treatment on John Young Ward at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.

The trial, led by Dr Enrico Bugiardini at UCLH, is aiming to evaluate the long-term safety of new drug ‘AOC 1020’ in participants with Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD). Following the trial, patients will be invited to take part in the next phase, which will evaluate the efficacy and safety of AOC 1020 on muscle strength in the same disease conditions.

The QSCTC is a new collaborative research centre for neurology and neurosurgery, which launched in June this year. It is supported by the Institute of Neurology, BRC-TN theme, and UCLH’s National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.

The key aim of the centre is to support trials across Queen Square, with a focus on late phase trials. The QSCTC is working to upskill ward nurses to support research at ward level. This complements the NIHR UCLH LWENC Clinical Research Facility (CRF), which has a focus on early-stage trials. QSCTC also works closely with the research directorate/JRO and Dementia Research Centre.

A multi-disciplinary team makes up the core of the centre, including a consultant neurologist, senior research practitioner, research nurses, assistant management accountant and clinical research administrator.

Dr Vino Vivekanandam, consultant neurologist at the NHNN, and QSCTC lead, said: “This is an incredible milestone for the Queen Square Clinical Trial Centre for neurology and neuroscience researchers and for our clinical trial patients.”

If you would like to know more about the QSCTC, please contact the team via uclh.qsctc@nhs.net