Sheffield Children’s leads the way in global IBD clinical trial

Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is the first site in Europe to recruit a patient to a global clinical trial investigating a potential new treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)  Commercial Research Delivery Centre: Sheffield Children’s is one of the sites delivering the study that will see up to 144 participants take part across the UK, Australia, China and the United States of America.

IBD is a term used to describe a group of long-term conditions where the immune system doesn’t work properly and attacks the lining of the gut. Symptoms can be debilitating and include diarrhoea, bleeding, abdominal pain, growth failure, fatigue, and weight loss.

Fifteen-year-old Kira from Grimsby in East Yorkshire suffers from IBD and is being treated  in a specialised IBD clinic led by Dr Akshay Kapoor, since 2023. A keen footballer until she fell ill, Kira has failed multiple conventional and advanced therapies used for IBD. She hopes the trial will help her get back on the pitch and improve her quality of life.

Her mum Lisa said: “After limited success with other treatments, we jumped at the chance to take part in this research trial. All the staff at Sheffield Children’s have been absolutely amazing, they are so kind and helpful. Dr Kapoor, IBD service lead, has been brilliant, and explained everything to us every step of the way.”

Sheffield Children’s is the only CRDC dedicated to delivering commercial clinical trials for children and young people.

Professor Mike Cork, Director of the NIHR CRDC: Sheffield Children’s, explains: “Here at Sheffield Children’s, research is an integral part of the care we provide, and this achievement highlights the expertise and dedication of our research team.

“By taking part in pioneering, global clinical trials, we are helping to bring promising new treatments to children and young people sooner, while contributing to advances that could benefit families around the world.”

NIHR CRDC: Sheffield Children’s is part of the CRDC UK Network, which brings together 35 centres across primary, secondary and specialist care to strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in commercial clinical research.

Supported by the NIHR in partnership with the pharmaceutical industry, the Network provides a coordinated UK‑wide infrastructure for fast, reliable and consistent trial delivery at scale. It offers industry access to high‑performing research sites and enables inclusive, decentralised trials, allowing more people from more communities across the NHS to take part in research.

Jenny Crooks, Operations Director for the CRDC UK Network, said: “I’d like to congratulate the CRDC: Sheffield Children’s team on becoming the first site in Europe to recruit a participant to this study. This is a fantastic achievement and a powerful example of the Commercial Research Delivery Centres doing exactly what they were established to do – accelerating the delivery of commercial research and helping make the UK the best place in the world to develop and deliver innovative clinical studies.

“Most importantly, this milestone means that people are gaining earlier access to cutting-edge research opportunities that may not otherwise be available to them. We are grateful to Kira for joining this study and to the dedicated research teams whose expertise, collaboration and commitment make achievements like this possible. Together, they are helping to bring life-changing innovations closer to patients while strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in commercial clinical research.”

As Sheffield Children’s celebrates its 150th anniversary, the Trust continues to build on a legacy of research and innovation, driving advances that are shaping the future of children’s healthcare through pioneering treatments and new discoveries.

You can find out more about research at Sheffield Children’s by visiting: www.sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk/research