LONG BEACH, Calif. – MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center continues its fight against COVID-19 as a participant in the I-SPY COVID Trial (Investigation of Serial Studies to Predict Your COVID Therapeutic Response with Biomarker Integration and Adaptive Learning). The focus of the trial is to improve outcomes for severely-ill COVID-19 patients.
The I-SPY COVID Trial is an adaptive platform trial which incorporates a single-study structure to evaluate multiple treatments independently within the same trial. This method allows for the rapid assessment of potentially impactful therapies. All patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 requiring high flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation are screened for potential participation in this trial. If a patient meets inclusion criteria and provides consent, they are randomized into one of several study arms, either offering established standard of care or one of several unique treatment options in addition to the established standard of care. The patient’s medical outcome will be closely evaluated, offering valuable data on the safety and efficacy of the various treatment options included in the study.
MemorialCare’s research team is led by board-certified pulmonologist, internist and critical care specialist and Principal Investigator Fady Youssef, M.D.
“This unique study design allows us to test several agents at once. The data is then quickly analyzed and a determination is made as to whether to advance the agent into a bigger trial or consider an Emergency Use Authorization Request if the results prove to be truly astounding,” explains Dr. Youssef. “The I-SPY study provides us a window into how future trials may be conducted, and we are hopeful that it will help us identify efficacious therapies that can potentially alter the course of this pandemic.”
Sponsored by Quantum Leap Healthcare Collaborative, the study is a collaboration among pharmaceutical industry members of the recently formed COVID Research & Development Alliance and others; a partnership of medical clinicians and researchers; and the Food and Drug Administration. For more information about the study, please visit Quantum Leap Healthcare Collaborative: I-SPY COVID (quantumleaphealth.org)
About Long Beach Medical Center
Long Beach Medical Center, part of OC-based MemorialCare, has been providing the community with compassionate, quality health care for more than 100 years. While leading in specialized care, research and education, Long Beach Medical Center has an outstanding record of innovation and medical advances, along with numerous accolades. With leading centers for cancer, heart, rehabilitation, orthopedics, neurology and trauma, physicians and surrounding hospitals continually refer to its accredited programs. The entire care team works diligently to provide the highest level of care for chronic diseases, critical illnesses, outpatient procedures, older adult support and medical disorders. For more information, visit memorialcare.org/LongBeach.
About Quantum Leap Healthcare Collaborative
Quantum Leap Healthcare Collaborative, a 501C(3) charitable organization established in 2005, works in collaboration with patients, medical researchers at the University of California, academic centers nationwide, and healthcare innovators and stakeholders. Our mission is to integrate high-impact research with clinical processes and systems technology, resulting in improved data management and information systems, greater access to clinical trial matching and sponsorship, and greater benefit to providers, patients and researchers. Our goal is to improve and save lives. Quantum Leap provides operational, financial, and regulatory oversight to the I-SPY Trials. For more information, visit www.QuantumLeapHealth.org.