ITV News channel reports on the drug trial AXA1125 by researchers at Oxford University and mentions that some people with long Covid are having to wait a year to be referred to long Covid clinics. Forty patients are taking part in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation and the results of the trial are expected in early summer 2022.
Extract
Researchers at Oxford University, based at the John Radcliffe Hospital, are pioneers in the search for an effective treatment and are currently working with 40 patients on a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the drug called AXA1125.
“This drug is a mixture of five amino acids or derivative which act as fuels for mitrochondria which are batteries, powerhouse within the cells which are required for energy. And we're going to use sophisticated technology as well as measures of fatigue to see how effective the drug is over time”.
Dr Betty Raman, Lead Researcher
One of the patients taking part is Claire Higham from Reading who has been suffering the effects of long covid for more than one year. Most days the mother of two she spends 20 hours in bed, which puts a lot of pressure on her home life.
She is a patient on the trial, and said: “It's an opportunity to get some diagnostics and some testing done and an opportunity to try a treatment as well because there is very limited cases or opportunities to have any form of treatment for Long Covid”.
The Oxford trial comes as there is increasing evidence that local long covid clinics are struggling with long waiting lists.
The results of the Oxford trial are expected in the early summer, but researchers are being careful not to raise hopes too high.
Video: Information about the drug trial including comments from Dr Raman starts around 3.25
Read Dr Shepherd, Honorary Medical Adviser to the ME Association, comments about this trial back in November 2021 on this website blog.