Healthcare Central London (HCL) conducts high-quality, diverse research on behalf of its 31 NHS general practices within Westminster which serve a patient population of more than 275,000.
HCL operates as a Primary Care Clinical Research Facility, featuring a dedicated and fully equipped research clinic at the South Westminster Centre. In response to its rapid growth in activity, the organisation plans to establish an additional site in the northern part of the borough in the coming year.
The multidisciplinary team is led by the Director of Research and Business Intelligence, Bahram Hassanpourfard along with Lead Research GP and Principal Investigator, Dr Chatsuda Chierakul, who has been a local GP Partner for almost 20 years. the clinical research team includes a nurse, pharmacist, two additional research GPs, a dietician, a research manager and a research facilitator.
HCL participated in over 60 clinical research trials, including academic studies and more recently commercial studies.
By creating an innovative model offering free child health checks for Westminster residents, HCL was able to contribute to the highest number of study recruits for the ELSA type 1 diabetes study in England.
The organisation is highly responsive and agile, which enabled it to become both the first recruiter and the leading UK recruiter for a pivotal commercial trial—a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter, international phase III clinical study investigating the efficacy and safety of allo-APZ2-CVU on wound healing in therapy-resistant, non-healing chronic venous ulcers (CVU).
Its research activity is strengthened by robust collaborations with internal and external partners, including HCL’s Octopus Project, Paddington Life Sciences, NIHR NL RRDN, Imperial BRC, The Helix Centre, IQVIA, FGK Clinicology, and Pharmexcel.
Current studies include
- A pivotal, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter, international phase III clinical trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of allo-APZ2-CVU on wound healing of therapy-resistant non-healing chronic venous ulcers (CVU).
- A Phase 3, multicenter, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of abelacimab in high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation who have been deemed unsuitable for oral anticoagulation (LILAC).
- A Randomised, Double-blind, Parallel Group, Multi-centre, Phase III Study to Assess the Efficacy of Budesonide, Glycopyrronium, and Formoterol Fumarate Metered Dose
- Inhaler Relative to Glycopyrronium and Formoterol Fumarate MDI on Cardiopulmonary Outcomes in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (THARROS).
- A Phase 2b/3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study, to investigate the efficacy and safety of lunsekimig compared with placebo in adult participants with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with type 2 inflammation (THESEUS).
- Optimising Prescription of Treatment in older patients with Mild hypertension at Increased risk of Serious adverse Events (OPTIMISE2)
- NIHR Programme Development Grant: Using Psychologically Informed Environments to meaningfully involve women experiencing homelessness in research.
More details and contact information can be found here.