WARRINGTON and Halton Hospital are looking for over 60s to take part in a norovirus vaccine trial.

Norovirus is one of the most common causes of stomach bugs in the UK and there is currently no vaccine to protect against norovirus infection.

The Nova 301 Trial, which is the first of its kind, will see if an investigational vaccine may be able to protect people against symptoms caused by the norovirus stomach bug.

Researchers at the Halton Clinical Research Centre, part of Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals (WHH), are looking for people aged 60 and over to take part in a new global clinical trial.

People taking part in the Nova 301 Trial must be 60 years of age or over, be in good health and should not currently have a chronic gastrointestinal disease (including irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, oesophageal reflux, or any other medical condition with regular vomiting or diarrhoea).

Participants will receive either the investigational vaccine or a placebo jab (an inactive substance). The trial will last for up to 25 months, and participants must be willing to attend up to seven scheduled clinic visits over that time.

The Nova 301 Trial is a Phase 3 clinical trial. This is the last phase before an investigational vaccine can be made available for public use (after approval from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency). Phase 3 trials like this one evaluate the investigational vaccine in a large group of people.

Moderna, the company which has developed the Nova 301 Trial programme, will reimburse participants for their trial-related time and expenses, and the clinical trial team will be on hand to support everyone who takes part.

Dr Paul Fitzsimmons, executive medical director at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals, said: “Norovirus spreads very easily from person to person, via food or contaminated surfaces, so once it takes hold, it can be very difficult to get rid of, especially in settings like care homes, hospitals and schools. While most people recover well in a few days, more vulnerable groups are more likely to need medical support or higher levels of care.”

If you are interested in taking part in this trial or want to find out more, get in touch with the WHH Clinical Research Team at whh.halton.cru@nhs.net, 01928 753303 or visit http://www.nova301trial.com/

The Nova 301 Trial is looking to recruit approximately 25,000 people globally.