Charlotte-based hospital system Atrium Health said Tuesday it plans to participate in multiple nationwide trials for a possible coronavirus vaccine. The trials could start as early as October, according to Dr. Christine Turley, a vice-chair of research at Atrium.
Researchers are testing 40 vaccines in clinical trials on humans, and nine are in Phase 3 trials, according to The New York Times. It’s not clear which of these might be tested at Atrium.
Over the summer, Charlotte’s Tryon Medical Partners began enrolling patients in a Phase 3 trial of a coronavirus vaccine manufactured by the company Moderna. More than 1,500 people were vying to participate, according to a spokesman for the medical practice.
Turley said people who enroll in a trial at Atrium would receive two vaccine injections several weeks apart. Then researchers would regularly monitor them for coronavirus symptoms and also test their blood for antibodies.
“We’re going to be following people who participate in a trial for two years to really understand, ‘How protective was the vaccine?’ and ‘How strong was the immunity that they developed from that vaccine?’” Turley said.
Atrium also launched a vaccine registry on Tuesday to keep track of people who may be interested in participating in a coronavirus vaccine trial at the hospital system. Turley said she hopes to enroll at least 10,000 people in the registry.
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