20th May 2025

International Clinical Trials Day 2025: Welsh teams leading advances in health and care research

To mark International Clinical Trials Day 2025, we’re highlighting the outstanding work of research teams across Wales and celebrating the vital contribution they are making in advancing health and care research.

International Clinical Trials Day is celebrated on 20 May each year to recognise the first clinical trial conducted in 1747 by James Lind, a surgeon on the HMS Salisbury, to understand possible causes of scurvy.

Today, we look at how Welsh researchers are continuing this legacy in helping to develop new treatments, therapies and diagnostics to improve patient care.

Public involvement is crucial in advancing medical research and helps provide valuable insights into the most effective ways to treat and manage various health conditions. In the past year, more than 15,000 participants have taken part in nearly 500 studies across over 30 specialties in Wales.

“The team is proud to be based in Wales, showcasing our leadership in ground-breaking trials.” 

The PATHOS trial, funded by Cancer Research UK and sponsored by Velindre University NHS Trust and Cardiff University, with over 1,300 patients recruited, is the world’s largest randomised study for head and neck cancer.

The trial is co-led by Professor Mererid Evans, Velindre University NHS Trust and Professor Terry Jones, Liverpool University. Under their leadership, PATHOS is investigating whether reducing treatment intensity can minimise long-term side effects, improving the quality of life for patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer.

The study is testing whether reducing the intensity of treatment can minimise long-term side effects—such as swallowing difficulties – without compromising cancer outcomes. Professor Evans and Professor Jones said: “We’re proud to be based in Wales, showcasing our leadership in developing and implementing ground-breaking trials – both nationally and internationally.”

PATHOS is delivered in partnership with the Centre for Trials Research and has been made possible through Health and Care Research Wales funding support.

A trial set to transform acute myeloid leukaemia treatment and enhance patients’ quality of life

The VICTOR trial at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd Hospital North Wales Cancer Treatment Centre, part of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is comparing two treatments for Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). One is intensive chemotherapy, which can cause severe side effects, while the other is a gentler treatment using a medication, which early research suggests may be equally effective with fewer side effects.

If patients don’t respond to the first treatment, or relapse, they can switch to another option within the trial. Crucially, the gentler treatment can be taken at home, reducing the need for long hospital stays and improving quality of life.

The trial team said they are proud that Ysbyty Glan Clwyd Hospital North Wales Cancer Treatment Centre has the highest number of trial registrations in the UK, meaning patients in north Wales now have access to potentially cutting-edge treatments, often from home. This advances AML care in Wales and offers a promising regimen that could enhance both quality of life and life expectancy.

The REMoDL-A trial, another study conducted by the Haematology teams at both Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital and Ysbyty Glan Clwyd Hospital, is testing a treatment combination for people with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), a type of blood cancer.

Creating a lasting impact on haematology care

The Haematology Research Delivery Team at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABUHB), led by Dr Ali Mahdi, has made remarkable strides in advancing clinical research for patients with Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPNs) – a group of rare blood cancers that cause the bone marrow to produce too many red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets.

Over the past few years, the team has successfully opened and delivered a portfolio of complex commercial trials – studies that demand meticulous feasibility assessments and multi-disciplinary coordination.

The team’s dedication has earned praise from commercial sponsors, placing ABUHB at the forefront of research-driven care. The team’s expertise benefits current patients and helps shape future standards, leaving a lasting impact on haematology services in Wales and beyond.

Innovative trial to prevent colorectal cancer recurrence

The Research Delivery team at Velindre University NHS Trust is collaborating with Health and Care Research Wales and BioNTech on a study that aims to evaluate whether investigational vaccines can prevent an individual’s cancer from returning.

The investigational vaccines use mRNA technology, which use samples from a patient’s tumour, removed during surgery, alongside sequencing to effectively vaccinate the patient against their own specific cancer.

Professor Rob Jones, Co-Director of Division of Cancer and Genetics at Cardiff University, Associate Medical Director at Velindre Cancer Centre and lead investigator on the study, said: “This trial aims to recruit eligible patients who have already undergone surgery and chemotherapy, testing whether the investigational vaccine stimulates the immune system to eliminate any remaining cancer cells, thus improving the chance of a cure.”

Welsh teams pioneer groundbreaking motor neuron disease research

Cardiff University and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board are running two clinical trials, EXPERT-ALS and MND-SMART, to explore the effects of existing medications on people with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

The EXPERT-ALS trial will measure blood neurofilament light chain (NFL) levels, a protein found in nerve cells that is often elevated in neurodegenerative diseases like MND. The trial aims to identify drugs that lower NFL levels in order to prioritise those drugs for future testing in phase III trials.

In MND-SMART multiple medications are tested simultaneously and researchers use cognitive tests, functional assessments and blood-based biomarkers, to determine which medications work best.

With limited research on MND, these studies aim to improve understanding of the condition and enhance the care and quality of life for people living with MND in south Wales.

Revolutionary trial advancing lung cancer treatment

The CONCORDE Trial, run in Wales by Velindre University NHS Trust, is testing new treatments for non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. The study has now recruited over 100 patients across 14 centres in the UK and is sponsored by the University of Leeds, with funding from Cancer Research UK and AstraZeneca.

Participants are treated with one of four DNA damage response inhibitors (DDRi) combined with radiotherapy (RT), or RT alone. Some patients may also receive a treatment that boosts the body’s immune system to help fight cancer, for up to a year. The trial aims to slow the spreads of the disease and improve survival rates.

Recruitment has been ongoing since 2021, and Velindre University NHS Trust was the first in the UK to enrol a patient. If successful, this treatment could revolutionise lung cancer care by making radiotherapy more effective and offering new hope for patients.

A recent publication in Lancet Oncology featuring the CONCORDE Study urges the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to endorse similar platform designs for drug-radiotherapy studies in the USA.

Pioneering trials bring hope for rare eye diseases in Wales

Over the past year, the Ophthalmology Clinical Trials Team at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has led groundbreaking research in thyroid eye disease, age-related macular degeneration and inherited retinal and optic nerve diseases.

As the only site in Wales offering new, non-steroid, non-surgical treatments for thyroid eye disease through research, the team is expanding options for patients. They have also been undertaking natural history studies in Retinitis Pigmentosa and Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy—currently with no available treatments, marking a significant step forward in research into inherited eye diseases and laying the ground for future trials of novel therapies.

The team works closely with the Clinical Research Facility, which enables them to grow their early-phase trial portfolio. These studies are advancing eye research in Wales, offering patients greater access to innovative therapies and positioning Wales as a leading hub for clinical research.

Dr Nicola Williams, National Director of Support and Delivery at Health and Care Research Wales, said:

I want to take a moment to say thank you to everyone involved in delivering clinical trials across Wales. Whether you’re a researcher, a patient, an NHS staff member or an industry partner, your efforts are absolutely essential in enabling us to carry out high-quality studies that are not only improving health outcomes but also have the potential to change lives.

“At Health and Care Research Wales, we’re committed to increasing access to clinical trials, building capacity and partnering with organisations to set up trials quickly. This ensures we maximise opportunities for patients, ultimately leading to better care for everyone.”

Hear more from Dr Williams: