SEHSCT Gastro Research Team – Highest Recruiter to the GALOCEAN Trial

June 26, 2024

Pictured: (L – R) Ms Gail Young, Dr Tony Tham and Ms Emma Gibson.

Thanks to the SEHSCT Comms Team/Research Office for sharing:

The SEHSCT Gastro Research team, led by Dr Tony Tham and Dr Patrick Allen (Consultant Gastroenterologists) have exceeded their expected recruitment and are the highest enroller site in the UK to this informative real world study GALOCEAN: A prospective, non-interventional multi-country cohort study of the effectiveness and safety of filgotinib in adult patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. The study aims to recruit 600 patients across 10 countries in Europe and the UK.

Patients were invited to participate in the study who have been diagnosed with moderate to severe Ulcerative Colitis and have recently started on a new medication called Filgotinib. Many patients can experience debilitating  symptoms which can severely impair a person’s quality of life. Patients can also face many challenges in the clinical management of their Ulcerative Colitis, including failure of treatments or loss of response over time.

Filgotinib was recently approved for the treatment of Ulcerative Colitis and the GALOCEAN study is helping to understand how well Filgotinib works in the real world, with the diverse patient population suffering from ulcerative colitis. Each patient is followed up for 52 weeks to see how Filgotinib treatment is received. The study hopes to show in a real life setting that response rates improved, flare ups decreased and patients experienced improved quality of life.

Dr Tham said,

“We are delighted to be able to contribute to this important study. Being involved in clinical research is associated with better outcomes for patients. We are very pleased to be a research active unit. Thanks to the team for all their excellent work in recruiting patients to this study. Most importantly, thank you to our patients for being so willing to take part not only in this study but also other studies that we have ongoing.”

Fantastic work from the SEHSCT NICRN Team on this life changing clinical trial.