• Bolton teams help to identify new life-saving COVID drug for seriously-ill
• Research reveals Baricitinib is effective in the fight against COVID-19
• Teams at Royal Bolton continuing to ensure we have the best defences against virus

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust has helped to identify a new life-saving drug for patients seriously-ill with COVID-19.

Critical Care teams at the Trust are taking part in two major research studies: GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) and the Recovery trial.

Initial data from the GenOMICC work predicted that the anti-inflammatory drug Baricitinib, normally used for rheumatoid arthritis, could improve the outcomes of COVID-19 patients.

Following this a number of patients at Royal Bolton Hospital received the treatment as part of the Recovery trial to try and give them the very best chance of survival.

Recently published data has now revealed that Baricitinib is an effective treatment in the fight against COVID-19, alongside other treatments Dexamethasone and Tocilizumab.

Dr. Gareth Hughes, Consultant in Intensive Care and Respiratory Medicine at the Trust, said:

As our daily lives return to a sense of ‘normal’, behind-the-scenes we’re working to ensure we continue to have the best defences against COVID-19.

As the virus evolves, research and discoveries will help to reduce deaths, prevent people becoming seriously-ill or hospitalised, and ensure we can continue to get back to the things we love.

It involves a large amount of work, so thank you to our research team, pharmacy team, nursing, and medical teams in COVID areas for supporting these studies.

Their efforts mean our patients have received the best possible treatment and the research will allow patients in the UK and across the world to benefit from these therapies.

You can find more details about the GenOMICC study and RECOVERY trial on their websites.