Welcome to the December Edition of #TALK.Research

Tēnā koutou

As the end of the year approaches, it is encouraging to reflect on ACTT’s strong performance across a broad range of therapeutic areas. Our involvement in cutting-edge research, including modern CRISPR therapies for rare diseases and inherited cholesterol disorders, and next generation of triple agonists in the metabolic space – continues to put Aotearoa on the map. Many of these treatments remain unavailable publicly, this highlights the importance of the work we do.

The updated format of Celebrating Research at Middlemore Hospital, proudly sponsored by Aotearoa Clinical Trials, was very well received. Attendee feedback indicated that the event successfully highlighted the outstanding calibre of researchers working within Counties Manukau. Congratulations to all award recipients, your achievements are truly well deserved.

Our Whangārei site continues to demonstrate excellence and build an impressive reputation in clinical trials. In one global study with 465 sites, Whangārei ranked second worldwide for patient recruitment – a phenomenal accomplishment that reflects the dedication and expertise of the site team and SMOs.

The ACTT Grants team continues to support researchers based at Middlemore and Whangārei in securing significant research funding, including HRC and philanthropic grants. These trials are often challenging operationally, and this support is critical to enable high-quality investigator-initiated research in our communities.

The Team at ACTT wish you all a merry festive season and thank you for your support in 2025.

2026 looks like it will be an exciting year with many opportunities for researchers - so get in touch!

Ngā mihi,

Dr Edward Watson

CEO

What’s In This Issue:

• Celebrating Research 2025 - Whakanui i te Rangahau

• Whangārei: A Small Team Achieving Big Results

• Grant Research - Group A Streptococcus Publication

• Department of the Quarter: Dermatology

• Upcoming Trials

• Recent Publications by CMH and WRE Investigators

Celebrating Research 2025 - Whakanui i te Rangahau

On Wednesday 8 October, ACTT proudly hosted the refreshed Celebrating Research event at Middlemore Hospital.

This year’s theme, Whakanui i te Rangahau – Ka Mua, Ka Muri, recognised the depth, talent and innovation of researchers across Counties Manukau - clinicians, nurses, students and allied health professionals all contributing to a healthier future for our communities.

Congratulations to our Poster Award Winners:

• People’s Choice - Runner Up: Cassandra Davis

• People’s Choice - Winner: Robin Cronin  

• The Annamarie Lowndes Asian Health Award: Shanthi Ameratunga

• Bronze: Robin Cronin

• Silver: Dr Kathleen Antony

• Gold (sponsored by Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Foundation): Dr Andrew Fox-Lewis

Congratulations to the recipients of our new Research Awards:

• Commercial Research (sponsored by ACTT) – Dr Tien Huey Lim, Hepatology

• Non-commercial Research (sponsored by Fisher and Paykel Foundation) – Dr Genevieve Walls, Infectious Diseases

• Emerging Research (sponsored by Auckland Medical Research Foundation) – Dr Andrew Borrie, Cardiology

A huge thank you to Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Foundation and Auckland Medical Research Foundation for their support and partnership.

This event continues to showcase why Counties Manukau is home to some of Aotearoa’s most important and impactful clinical research.

Whangārei: A Small Team Achieving Big Results

Our Whangārei site has delivered outstanding performance this year, achieving national and global recognition for recruitment excellence in two major cardiovascular trials.

Trial 1 - Investigating a new medication to prevent cardiovascular events in patients with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease and/or Chronic Kidney Disease.

• Recruitment period – only 2 weeks, versus 12 months planned

• Achievement – top recruiting site in New Zealand (out of 11 sites)

Trial 2 - Investigating a new medication to prevent cardiovascular events in patients with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease or at high risk of an initial event.

• Recruitment period – 3 months (ongoing)

• Achievement – 2^nd highest recruiter globally

We are extremely proud to be able to bring cutting edge treatment options to Te Tai Tokerau, and we would not be able to do it without the partnership between Whangārei hospital’s clinical staff and the ACTT team.

Ngā mihi nui to everyone involved.

Grant Research - Group A Streptococcus publication

ACTT is proud to have contributed to new research on severe acute Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections, recently published in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific.

The study led by Associate Professor Rachel Webb and Dr Andrew Fox-Lewis, investigates the impact of severe acute Group A Streptococcus (GAS) on hospitals in the Auckland region in 2023. It highlights the critical importance of these infections and the impact GAS vaccine developments may have.

The development of a GAS vaccine is a World Health Organisation priority, and this study provides important information to help inform vaccine design and implementation priorities from an Aotearoa New Zealand perspective.

ACTT’s contribution

ACTT provided the resource for a dedicated data-collection team and to enable high-volume data collection within a short timeframe. A big thank you to Kate Wong She, as well as medical students Emma Wong She and Avinash Sathiyaseelan, for their intensive work on this project.

Contributions from Dr Susan Morpeth and the Middlemore Hospital Microbiology Department were also greatly valued.

This research provides a strong foundation for understanding the burden of severe acute GAS in Auckland over a single year and the potential impact of forthcoming vaccine developments within our region.

Dr Webb, a paediatrician at Kidz First, is a valued and regular collaborator with ACTT.

“I’m beyond honoured to be named as an author, let alone second author, on this paper and it’s incredibly special for both my sister and I to have both of our first authorships on the same paper. I’m so grateful for this opportunity.” Kate Wong She – Clinical Research Coordinator

Department of the Quarter: Dermatology

Serving a population of 638,900 (2023 NZ Census), the Dermatology Department at Middlemore Hospital plays a vital role in providing care and delivering innovative research opportunities to our local communities.

Leadership and Expertise

• Dr Cheng Huang (Consultant Dermatologist) - Dr Huang has been involved in a wide range of clinical trials during her fellowship in Sydney (2022-2023) and since returning to New Zealand.

• Dr Paul Jarrett (Clinical Head) - Dr Jarrett has 20+ years’ experience in the New Zealand public health system.

• Dermatology Research Fellow - Opportunity to serve as a Sub-Investigator on a clinical trial while working at Middlemore Hospital. Involvement in a clinical trial provides an excellent platform to build clinical research skills and strengthen both academic and clinical career development.

Research Interests:

• Bullous pemphigoid

• Psoriasis

• Alopecia areata

• Hidradenitis suppurativa

• Atopic dermatitis

Why Dermatology Matters

Conducting clinical trials within the Dermatology Department means:

• Patients gain access to alternative treatment options

• Patients receive specialist care

• Pressure on the public healthcare system is reduced

Skin conditions can have a profound impact on quality of life, and feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive. Several have reported meaningful improvement from their trial involvement, including one patient who regained confidence to seek employment as their condition responded to the novel treatment.

Dr Huang and Dr Jarrett continue to contribute to scientific research and the development of new therapies, while making a tangible difference for patients across the Counties Manukau community.

Upcoming Trials

List of upcoming trials that are planned to start recruitment in the next three months:

To learn more about the trials we are undertaking at Middlemore Hospital and Whangārei Hospital, please visit our website to see what trials and what disease areas we are currently working on.
 

Together through research we can improve the lives of many of the patients in Counties Manukau and Te Tai Tokerau.

Recent Publications

Verheye, S., Ferdinande, B., Bennett, J., Staico, R., El-Jack, S., Tonino, P. A. L., Abizaid, A., Buysschaert, I., Scott, D., Menon, M., Wilkins, G., McClean, D., Kovarnik, T., Christians, U., Neylon, A., Mehmedbegovic, Z., Smits, P. C., Morice, M. C., Webster, M., & DESyne BDS Plus RCT Investigators (2025). Site-Specific Antithrombotic Therapy: 24-Month Outcomes of the Randomized DESyne BDS Plus Trial Using a Novel Triple-Drug Eluting Coronary Implant With Two Anticoagulants and Sirolimus. Catheterization and cardiovascular interventions : official journal of the Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions, 106(4), 2770–2780. https://doi.org/10.1002/ccd.70106

Wagener, J., Shan, U., Anderson, W. F., Mason, I. T. T., May, B. C. H., & Locke, M. B. (2025). Pilot Study: Prospective, First-in-human Clinical Evaluation of a Novel Tissue Apposition Device (ENIVO) Following Simple Unilateral Mastectomy. Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open, 13(8), e7027. https://doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000007027

Walls, G., McGrath, L., Herdman, M. T., Campbell, A. J., Cheng, M. P., Marks, M., Oever, J. T., Sahng, E., Yahav, D., Tong, S. Y. C., Goodman, A. L., Lim, A. G., Bloomfield, M., & Staphylococcus aureus Network Adaptive Platform Trial Early Oral Switch Domain Specific Working Group (2025). Patient-reported perceptions, experiences and preferences around intravenous and oral antibiotics for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: a descriptive qualitative study. Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, ciaf522. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaf522

Webb, E. M., Holland, A. E., Chang, A. B., Middleton, P. G., Thomson, R., Wong, C., Jayaram, L., Holmes-Liew, C. L., Morgan, L., & Lee, A. L. (2025). Pediatric physiotherapy management of airway clearance therapy and exercise: Data from the Australian Bronchiectasis Registry. Pediatric pulmonology, 60(1), e27370. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppul.27370

Luo, A., Oakley, A., Han, D. Y., & Jarrett, P. (2025). Health Equity and Secukinumab for Severe Psoriasis in New Zealand. The Australasian journal of dermatology, 66(6), e342–e345. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajd.14539

Dawkins, P., Ou, G., Melder, A., Lee, S., Ye, N., & Stirling, R. G. (2025). Knowledge translation strategies to enhance lung cancer screening programme implementation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society, 34(178), 250065. https://doi.org/10.1183/16000617.0065-2025

Interested in Applying for Funding?

A range of grant funding opportunities are available for research projects. If you are interested in applying or not sure which grant is right for you, please email the Grants Team.

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