World-first for NNUH dermatology research team

A research study to help patients with a painful skin condition has begun after the NNUH enrolled the first volunteer to an international project.

The dermatology research team at the hospital achieved a world-first after becoming the first to sign-up a patient to the Sunshine study.

The dermatology research team

The clinical trial, which is sponsored by Novartis and supported by the NIHR (National Institute for Health Research), is being run across 33 countries to help patients with a debilitating and recurring skin condition.

Patients living with Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) require constant management to help ease their symptoms and often need surgery.

The Sunshine research study will find out if the drug secukinumab is safe and has beneficial effects in patients with HS.

The medicine is used in the treatment of psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis.

If participants agree to take part in the study, there will be a 50 per cent chance that they will receive secukinumab and a 50 per cent chance that they will receive placebo for the first part of the study.

In addition, the study will determine if secukinumab works better if given once every two weeks or once a month.

Erika Denton, NNUH Medical Director, said: “I’d like to congratulate our dermatology research team who have become the first in the world to enrol a patient onto this global study.

I’m proud of this hospital’s record in being involved in a plethora of medical trials, which means that we are at the forefront of new innovations and we are very grateful to the thousands of patients who volunteer to take part in research every year. Being actively involved in research results in better outcomes for our patients.”