The RBDCOV project, involving the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), held its annual meeting on November 19th at the Palau Macaya. The meeting focused on sharing the latest advancements, including the presentation of promising safety and immunogenicity profiles derived from clinical trials conducted in adults with immunocompromised conditions and pediatric populations. Dr. Pere Soler-Palacín, head of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunodeficiencies Unit at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and the Infection and Immunity in Pediatric Patients group at VHIR, attended the meeting.

With the goal of achieving inclusivity in clinical trials, a concept that remains a key focus of the project, partners discussed the ethical and technical challenges encountered during this process. Among the highlighted ethical considerations, there was emphasis on the need for adjustments in pediatric trials to minimize blood sample requirements without compromising data quality.

The Community Advisory Board (CAB) has played a crucial role in the project, providing valuable input in the review of materials, advising on clinical trial design, and improving communication strategies with patient communities. A strong emphasis was placed on the need to increase the visibility of the project within the scientific community and to promote inclusivity in clinical trials, a fundamental pillar of RBDCOV’s mission and VHIR’s goals.

Laura Ferrer, Director of Human Health R&D at HIPRA, highlighted the importance of scientific communication: “We must ensure that the significant results of this project, especially for pediatric populations and immunocompromised individuals, gain visibility within the scientific community. As we have pointed out before, there is a lack of published literature on this subject. This article, along with the upcoming ones, will certainly have a significant impact!”

RBDCOV and VHIR continue to drive advancements in clinical research, addressing inclusivity and representativeness, and setting a benchmark for ethical and effective practices in Europe and beyond.

The Scientific Café

Taking advantage of the visit to Barcelona and the partners' meeting, a Scientific Café was held, a stimulating debate that took place at the iconic Ateneu de Barcelona on the importance of inclusivity in clinical trials, with a special focus on immunocompromised individuals and pediatric populations.

The challenges and barriers to inclusion in clinical trials were explored, and their impact on public health and treatment effectiveness was discussed. Dr. Beatriz Mothe Pujadas, principal investigator of the HH-4 clinical trial for the COVID-19 vaccine focused on immunosuppressed individuals; Dr. Pere Soler-Palacín, head of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunodeficiencies Unit at Vall d'Hebron Children's Hospital; Joan Tallada, member of the Community Advisory Board (CAB) of RBDCOV and the European AIDS Treatment Group; and Dr. Petra Wülfroth, Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) at F4 Pharma and partner in the Horizon Europe COVend project consortium, shared their unique perspectives on this critical topic.

Watch the session video on YouTube.