Atrium Health opens new COVID-19 clinical trial

CHARLOTTE – Atrium Health will participate in a phase 3 COVID-19 investigational vaccine clinical trial.

The trial will test the safety and effectiveness of NVX-CoV2373, developed by Novavax, a late-stage biotech company.

“Atrium Health is the only site in the region offering the Novavax clinical trial,” said Dr. Christine Turley, vice chair of research at Atrium Health Levine Children’s. “We’ve been extremely thorough and diligent in reviewing many clinical trials, and are pleased to participate in a phase 3 clinical trial of a promising COVID-19 vaccine candidate. We also know that, with almost 8 billion people on the planet, there will need be more than one FDA-approved vaccine for COVID-19, so we are prepared to launch multiple, additional trials in the near future.”

People who join Atrium Health’s vaccine registry may be invited to participate in the NVX-CoV2373 trial, as well as additional COVID-19 vaccine trials that Atrium Health may open. To date, the registry has an estimated 4,000 people enrolled; of which, 250 may be invited to participate in the Novavax trial.

Turley anticipates a strong, favorable response from the Charlotte community in the trial.

“There are many people who are worried for their own health, and this trial may give them an early benefit,” Turley said. “They may have a family member who is considered high-risk, or who cannot participate in a trial. Some people are just altruistic – they believe that vaccines are important, that working together to turn the page on the pandemic through a vaccine is important, and they want to contribute to a cure.”

Participants will randomly receive either the investigational vaccine or placebo in two doses, 21 days apart. Two-thirds of volunteers will receive the vaccine candidate and one-third will receive a saline-based placebo. Participants will be financially compensated for their time. The trial will operate out of two Atrium Health locations in the Charlotte area, along with a mobile program.

Atrium Health is part of the COVID-19 Prevention Network, which aims to enroll thousands of volunteers in large-scale clinical trials. The network is supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Call 833-451-1188, visit AtriumHealth.org/COVIDVACCINE or email STRIVEVaccineRegistry@atriumhealth.org for details about the NVX-Co trial or Atrium Health’s COVID-19 research registry.