Participants in the ORION-4 clinical trial were warmly welcomed to a special event at Darlington Arena on Wednesday 14 May, hosted by County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT) in collaboration with the University of Oxford.
The event was an opportunity to thank participants for their invaluable contribution to this important research and to share progress updates on the ORION-4 trial – a large-scale study investigating whether inclisiran, a new cholesterol-lowering injection, can safely reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in people with a history of cardiovascular disease or prior procedures to unblock arteries.
A total of 16,124 people are enrolled in the trial, including men aged 40 and over and women aged 55 and over.
Participants are randomly assigned to receive either inclisiran or a placebo injection, with neither participants nor clinicians aware of which has been administered – maintaining the scientific rigour of the study through a double-blind design.
Each participant is followed over approximately five years to assess the long-term safety and effectiveness of the treatment.
As part of the event, attendees heard from Professor Louise Bowman of the University of Oxford, who delivered an insightful presentation outlining the trial’s aims, early findings, and the role of the coordinating centre in Oxford.
A lively Q&A session followed, giving participants the chance to speak directly with the research team and learn more about the broader impact of their involvement.
The day was a celebration of the vital role clinical research plays in shaping future treatments and improving outcomes for patients.
It also highlighted the strength of collaboration between participants, NHS staff, and academic partners, all working together to advance the understanding of cardiovascular health.
Clare Brady, Clinical Research Nurse at CDDFT, expressed heartfelt thanks to everyone involved: “This event was a fantastic opportunity to acknowledge the commitment of our participants and to share how their involvement is helping to drive forward research that could benefit thousands of people in the future. A huge thank you to all staff who supported the day and, most importantly, to the participants whose continued dedication to ORION-4 is making a real difference.”
CDDFT is proud to support research that brings innovation to the forefront of patient care and is grateful to everyone contributing to the success of the ORION-4 trial.
