Volunteers from across Staffordshire are being asked to sign up to the latest Covid-19 vaccine study to be rolled out across the UK.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) supported Valneva Phase 3 study is open to volunteers who are aged 18 and over and in stable health.

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) will run the study at Cheadle Hospital and hope to recruit 120 local volunteers.

Everyone who participates in this study will receive a vaccine. Participants aged 30 and older will receive either the Covid-19 vaccination developed by Valneva (VLA2001) or a nationally approved Covid-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca (AZD1222). These participants will not know which vaccine they have received. All participants under 30 will receive the VLA2001 vaccine.

Professor Toby Helliwell, Principal Investigator for the study at MPFT said "Myself and the study team here at MPFT are delighted to be leading the Valneva study in Staffordshire and to play our part in testing a further vaccine candidate to help protect the population against Covid-19. It is vital that research studies continue to ensure that we have effective vaccines that work for everybody.

"Every participant involved in the study is key to helping us gain a detailed understanding of how the vaccine will perform in a large population. People from all backgrounds are needed to take part in this and future vaccine studies.

"If you are interested in taking part in vaccine studies, please sign up to the NHS Vaccine Research Registry. It's very quick and simple to do."

Ruth Lambley-Burke, Head of Research and Innovation at the Trust added: "Clinical research is extremely important in the fight against COVID-19 and we are pleased to play our role in the Valneva clinical study in the West Midlands."

Professor Adam Finn, Chief Investigator for the Valneva study said, "Following very encouraging safety and immune response results from our phase 1 study, along with my investigator colleagues, I am really looking forward to starting on this important next stage of the clinical development of this important new vaccine. We definitely need more vaccines to help us out of this pandemic and this one is a very promising candidate."

Professor Matthew Brookes, Clinical Director of the NIHR Clinical Research Network West Midlands added, "Clinical studies into COVID-19 vaccines remain critical to help find several safe and effective candidates to help protect us all. Volunteers in the West Midlands are still needed to help carry out these studies and we are very grateful to the more than 30,000 who have already signed up."

For more information about the study or to register your interest, please contact the MPFT Research team on:

Phone: 0808 196 3890

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