Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust recruits first European patient to new COPD clinical trial

Research nurses sat with elderly patient who is a male wearing a blue shirt

Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust has become the first site in Europe to recruit a patient to a major international clinical trial investigating a potential new treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The study, part of the NIHR Bradford and West Yorkshire Commercial Research Delivery Centre (hosted by Bradford Teaching Hospitals and which Mid Yorkshire is a partner of) is examining certain treatments that can safely reduce flare-ups and improve quality of life for people living with moderate to very severe COPD and has been part of the Commercial Research Delivery Centre partnership (CRDC).

The project is a large clinical trial taking place across the world, involving around 990 participants. Patients who take part will receive treatments every four weeks for up to 98 weeks, with regular clinic visits and questionnaires to monitor their progress.

This new regional hub brings together partners to collaborate and deliver services across the region. It is a partnership between Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, and Conexus Healthcare.

The patient, who became the first person in Europe to join the trial, said:

I’m really happy with the care I’ve been receiving and all the staff involved have been supportive and caring.

Deputy Director of Research at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust Judith Holliday said:

Recruiting the first European patient to this important COPD trial is a fantastic achievement for our research team, the Trust and the Bradford and West Yorkshire Commercial Research Delivery Centre which opened at our Trust in April.

It demonstrates our commitment to bringing cutting-edge treatments to patients in Mid Yorkshire and contributing to global efforts to improve care for people living with chronic conditions. We’re proud to play a role in advancing research that could make a real difference to quality of life for those affected by COPD.

This achievement highlights the Trust’s growing role in supporting world-leading research and builds on the UK’s reputation for excellence in clinical trials, with the support of the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR). In 2024–2025, England recruited 53 “first global” and “first European” participants to major health studies - demonstrating the speed, quality and capability of NHS research delivery.

Nick Lemoine, Strategic Development Director at the NIHR Research Delivery Network, said:

It’s fantastic to see research teams in England leading the way in global studies like this. Every participant helps us learn more, develop new treatments, and improve care for people living with long-term conditions such as COPD.

People aged 40–80 with COPD who are current or former smokers and have been on the same inhaler for at least three months may be eligible to take part.

To find out more about taking part in research, visit Be Part of Research.