Title of project or programme

Communicable diseases – human prion disease and malaria

Principal Investigators of project/programme grant
TitleFornameSurnameInstitutionCountry
ProfessorJohnCollingeMRC Clinical Trials UnitUK
Address of institution of lead PI
InstitutionMRC Clinical Trials Unit
Street Address222 Euston Road
CityLondon
PostcodeNW1 2DA
Country
  • United Kingdom
Source of funding information

Medical Research Council

Total sum awarded (Euro)

805333.12

Start date of award

01-04-2006

Total duration of award in months

48

The project/programme is most relevant to
  • Prion disease
Keywords
Research abstract in English

Human prion disease: the aim is to assess new therapies for this rapidly progressive fatal disease, and to identify the most appropriate study designs and outcome measures to make these assessments. Randomised controlled trials are difficult to perform and interpret given the small number of affected patients who are often incapacitated, necessitating consent from carers with strong views about the appropriateness of interventions. The first UK treatment study in human disease, PRION-1, was therefore designed as a patient preference trial which allowed individuals to choose to receive quinacrine or not, or to be randomised. The trial finished follow-up in March 2007, and found that randomisation was unacceptable to almost all patients/carers. Final results will be published later this year. A second study of pentosan polysulphate was designed as a clinical review of all UK patients who had received this drug which has to be given intraventricularly. It found that it had been given and tolerated at a very wide range of doses (although complications from the surgical procedures were common) and highlighted the lack of standardised management and monitoring. As a consequence, funding has recently been approved to set up a UK cohort of patients with human prion disease who will be monitored using standardised assessments and schedules, regardless of which interventions they choose to receive.

Lay Summary

    Types: Investments > €500k
    Member States: United Kingdom
    Diseases: Prion disease
    Years: 2011
    Database Categories: N/A
    Database Tags: N/A

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