Thousands recruited to real-world lung study

Patient recruitment is now complete for the year-long Salford Lung Study (SLS), a collaboration between NorthWest EHealth, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and local healthcare providers.

The study is the first of its kind in the world; allowing researchers to determine the effectiveness of a new inhaled medicine on 2,800 COPD patients as they go about their daily lives. This ‘real-world’ study differs from randomised controlled trials (RCT) as it includes a broader range of patients, with different severities of COPD, to provide more realistic information about how the drug will perform.

Academic and NHS partners also include the University of Manchester, Salford Royal FT, Salford CCG and GP and community pharmacy staff.

Based in Salford, the study has the advantage of the area’s local health record system. This sees patient records linked up across GP practices and hospital, allowing close monitoring of patients with minimal intrusion into their lives.

A second part of the Salford Lung Study is being conducted in patients with asthma and aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety the same medicine compared with existing maintenance therapy. Recruitment of asthma patients is ongoing.

“The Salford Lung Study is a new and exciting way of studying a medicine which maintains the robustness of a randomised controlled trial while more closely reflecting the real world in which the medicine is used. 

“We have already gained so many valuable insights in establishing the study and creating a research city in Salford that allows us to better evaluate COPD patients’ real-life treatment experience. We look forward to the results of the study and to better understanding the real-world value of the 24-hour efficacy of this medicine for patients with COPD who are at risk of exacerbations.”
David Leather, Global Medical Affairs Leader, GSK