The Northern Centre for Clinical Research (NCCR) has launched its first clinical trial at the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia (UHNBC) in Prince George, providing people in rural, remote and Indigenous communities the opportunity to participate in research for a potential new treatment for chronic kidney disease.
The NCCR is a collaborative initiative between the UBC Faculty of Medicine, the University of Northern BC and Northern Health. Launched in 2022, the Centre aims to strengthen the capacity and coordination of clinical and life sciences research in northern B.C. by bringing together local partners and facilitating resource and expertise sharing across the region.
The Centre’s inaugural clinical trial will explore the effectiveness of a new drug, called vicadrostat, to help people with chronic kidney disease, a condition in which the kidneys are damaged and gradually lose the ability to filter waste and excess fluids from the blood.
In British Columbia, it is estimated that one in 10 people are living with some form of kidney disease, many without knowing it as there are often few symptoms until the condition reaches advanced stages.
“This study offers people living with chronic kidney disease in rural and Indigenous communities a rare opportunity to participate in cutting-edge international research in our region,” said principal investigator Dr. Anurag Singh, an assistant professor in UBC’s department of medicine and director of the NCCR. “It brings access to a promising treatment to help slow disease progression and improve long-term outcomes. Just as importantly, it ensures that the unique experiences of Northern patients are represented in the evidence shaping kidney care worldwide.”
The trial is part of an international, multi-centre study based out of Oxford Population Health called EASi-KIDNEY. Over the coming years, the researchers aim to recruit 11,000 people worldwide to assess the medication’s effectiveness in reducing the risk of kidney disease progression, hospitalization for heart failure and death from cardiovascular disease. Results from the multi-year study are expected in 2028/29.
By expanding clinical research in northern B.C., the NCCR is helping people—regardless of geography—participate in and benefit from advances in medical science. The research also contributes important data and perspectives that will help shape more inclusive and responsive care for diverse populations across Canada and beyond.
The trial marks a further milestone as it is the first Phase 3 interventional trial in the region initiated by Northern Health as one of the partners.
“Northern Health has been working hard over the last couple of years to build a team and infrastructure that supports clinical research for people in the North,” said Julia Bickford, NH Executive Director of Research Innovation & Evaluation. “Implementing our Standard Operating Procedures, Clinical Trials Management System, and building relationships with related departments, like pharmacy and diagnostics, have been a huge undertaking. It is very exciting to see all this work result in greater access to clinical trials for patients in the North.”
A version of this story was originally published on the Northern Health website.