1) Tell us about Primary Health Partners (PHP) and its affiliation with Tekton Research?
PHP has been affiliated with Tekton research for about 4 years. We started as a single site embedded in one of our clinics doing research on therapeutics. Now we have expanded to three sites, with one being independent, doing both therapeutics and vaccine research. The relationship has been very synergistic and has provided a way for us to use our talents to give back to society by helping the advancement of medical science.
2) Why is clinical research important to you and to the patients in the communities you serve?
It is important because it has given our patients the opportunity to give something back to the community. It has been very rewarding to see outpatients participate in a clinical trial and tell us how interesting and fun it was. Later on, they have the opportunity to see a vaccine or therapeutic go to market, and the general population starts to have access to the benefits of those treatments. They are almost always interested in participating in other studies or ways they can be helpful in future research.
3) Are there any stories you want to share about patients who might have benefited from clinical trials?
Yes, I had a patient with chronic migraines that was able to participate in a therapeutic trial for migraine prevention. She saw immediate benefits and saw a tremendous reduction in both the number of migraines and their intensity. After the trial was over and the FDA authorized the use of that therapeutic for prevention, she reached out immediately and was placed on the trial medication. Those benefits continue for her to this day. It literally changed every aspect of her life in a positive way from sleep, relationships, work, and mood. She is a different person now and totally attributes it to the ability to participate in that trial.
4) Are there any upcoming trials that you are excited about?
I am very excited about the upcoming phase one trial for COVID prevention. The sponsor is using a current EUA COVID infusion in a IM formulation to prove safety and hopefully progress to efficacy trials. This could have a huge impact on treatment options during this pandemic. Also, new flu vaccine trials using mRNA technology will be starting this fall. It will be very exciting to see how this technology stacks up against the traditional flu shot models.
