First patient dosed in global Phase III clinical trial at Royal Primary Care Ashgate

A Chesterfield woman has become the first patient globally to be dosed in a phase III clinical trial in uncontrolled and resistant hypertension (high blood pressure).

A patient at Royal Primary Care (RPC) Ashgate signed up for the trial at the surgery - home to a research team of six and part of the Chesterfield Royal Hospital’s Research team - and became the first patient dosed from a proposed 281 sites in 29 countries to the BaxHTN Phase III trial.

The randomised, placebo-controlled trial, led by AstraZeneca, will investigate the potential of baxdrostat in patients with uncontrolled and resistant hypertension, who are on standard care, but whose blood pressure is not on target.The study is supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the nation's largest funder of research in the NHS and social care.

Hypertension is the leading risk factor for disability and premature deaths. Around half of all people with hypertension are unable to reach target, even when they are on 2 or more treatments. A reduction in blood pressure reduces the risk of heart attacks, progression of chronic kidney disease, heart failure and strokes.

Dr. Adrian Beltran Martinez, Research Lead for Royal Primary Care, said: “It’s a big day – this definitely doesn’t happen every day. It is incredibly difficult to recruit the first global patient to a trial, so this is a huge achievement for us in RPC but also for the UK. We really feel like we are flying the flag for Research today!

“I am grateful for the support from Royal Primary Care and Chesterfield Royal Hospital – this shows their ambition for research and the driving of health care outcomes for everyone. Research is vital to the future of healthcare, and it is thanks to patients who are willingly signing up for trials that we can continue to improve the quality of care our patients receive.

Tom Spencer, Head of Research at Chesterfield Royal Hospital said: “For us to achieve a first global patient in Chesterfield is a fantastic achievement and credit to the work of the Royal Primary Care research team. The strength of our research model here in Chesterfield, with secondary care Research & Development support, coupled with the clinical delivery expertise in primary care has really added benefit to our set-up processes, ultimately allowing us to offer innovative research opportunities to our local population sooner.”

Professor Azhar Farooqi, Clinical Director for NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) East Midlands said: “The success of the Royal Primary Care and Chesterfield Royal Hospital achieving the first global participant in a commercial study is testament to how dedicated the Research team is in delivering world class research. Through this we are enhancing the UK’s attractiveness as a destination for globally competitive life sciences research where we continue to support and deliver high quality treatments."

If you would like to find out more about NIHR research and how you can take part, visit www.bepartofresearch.uk.