The medical world is filled with promises that often do not come to fruition when tested in clinical trials. However, there are a handful of advances that are showing great potential and could bring joy in the not too distant future.
Magazine Nature Medicine has selected 11 clinical trials with the potential to change the medical landscape in the next year. These trials combine the promises of modern therapies with simple and high-impact interventions.
One of these groundbreaking trials involves genetically modifying patients using the genetic cutter CRISPR. Verve-101 is aiming to modify cells within the patient’s own body to reduce the level of ‘bad’ cholesterol by half in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.
Another significant trial, ‘STEM-PD’, is using embryonic stem cells to treat Parkinson’s disease. Researchers are transplanting dopaminergic stem cells into the brains of patients with moderate Parkinson’s disease and are expected to have preliminary results by 2024.
The field of cancer treatments is also seeing advancements, with ‘Nadina’ introducing immunotherapy before surgery to treat lung cancer. Additionally, the trial ‘DESTINIY-Breast12’ is testing the effectiveness of a drug in treating breast cancer that has spread to the brain.
Artificial intelligence is also making its mark in medicine, with MARS-ED being tested as an AI assistant for doctors in the triage of patients who come to the emergency room.
Children’s mental health is also a focus, with the ‘Best Services Trial’ seeking to evaluate interventions for orphaned and vulnerable children in the UK. Another trial is aiming to develop an app for depression in pregnant women, especially in low- and middle-income countries where access to cognitive therapy is limited.
The health concerns of disadvantaged communities are not being overlooked, with a trial focusing on the effectiveness of malaria vaccines over time in African children. Additionally, a new assault on HIV is being pursued with a phase 1 trial for a new vaccine that induces strong immunogenic responses.
Lastly, the ‘4-IN THE LUNG RUN’ trial aims to establish whether a CT scan every two years is effective in preventing deaths from lung cancer in people who initially showed no abnormality.
These are just some of the groundbreaking clinical trials that have the potential to shape the future of medicine and bring hope to many patients and their families. The results of these trials are eagerly anticipated and could lead to significant advancements in medical treatments in the coming years.