Irish patients are to take part in a coronavirus clinical trial as part of global research efforts to tackle the pandemic.

The Health Research Board (HRB) says it is mobilising "rapid support" for a clinical trial among Irish patients in Intensive Care Units (ICU).

The trial will start enrolling COVID-19 patients on island of Ireland from now, and will test interventions for coronavirus in critically ill patients.

It will also capture the outcomes and analyse data across an international network in a global effort to reduce the impact of the virus in intensive care settings.

The international network involves research teams in Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the UK.

The HRB says: "Rapid data sharing will ensure findings relevant to the COVID-19 outbreak are shared quickly with others working in the area to inform decision making."

Professor Alistair Nichol from St Vincent’s University Hospital is the Irish lead on the trial.

He explains how it will work and why it is important.

"In the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, many groups tried to conduct trials in a timely manner, however our groups and others couldn’t establish a clinical trial in time to respond to the pandemic.

"So, we designed a new trial called REMAP CAP to recruit in 'peacetime' - but to be able to convert rapidly in the event of a pandemic, such as COVID-19."

Professor Alistair Nichol | Image: Irish Critical Care Clinical Trials Network

He adds: "This trial will now allow a rapid response which is ready to enrol Irish patients in intensive care units in the first weeks of such a pandemic.

"This means we can rapidly generate evidence to guide doctor’s decisions on the best treatment for critically ill patients with COVID-19."

Researchers in Ireland will work with local network of clinical research facilities and other partners to start assessing these potential interventions as quickly as possible.

The COVID-19 aspect of the trial will begin in ICUs in St Vincent’s University Hospital and University Hospital Galway in the next week.

Beaumont Hospital have also signed contracts and other hospitals are preparing to be involved soon.

These include Cork University Hospital and University Hospital Limerick.

The additional interventions that have been proposed for trials have been prioritised by experts brought together by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in mid-February.

These COVID-19 trial interventions will be rolled out across the international network.

According to Darrin Morrissey, chief executive at the HRB: "Existing HRB support for this trial network means that Irish researchers can react quickly and activate targeted responses to the COVID-19 outbreak, based on scientific consensus on potential treatments.

"The pace at which we have been able to respond is only possible because of the incredible work done to date in this network and the collaborations they have established internationally."