The hold on 13 trials followed observations that total lymphocyte and T-cell counts had dropped in some participants receiving islatravir in clinical studies. Seven of the trials were in phase 3.
Ethical arguments have been made for and against infecting individuals with a potentially deadly virus
This study, UK officials say, will streamline and improve vaccine testing and development
The UK is officially moving forward with the world’s first Covid-19 human challenge trial, in which healthy volunteers will deliberately be exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid disease, in a carefully controlled setting.
Kicking off in the next few weeks, the government announced on Wednesday that the study will include up to 90 healthy adult volunteers aged 18–30 years, who are at the lowest risk of harm from Covid-19.
The researchers aim to establish the smallest amount of virus it takes to sicken someone, and hope that their work will aid Covid vaccine and therapy research.