Cones VELVET [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A study of anti-SAR-CoV-2 antibody responses in plasma donors CONES - Convalescent Plasma Donor Vaccine Study.
IRAS ID
301260
Contact name
Lise Estcourt
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Blood and Transplant
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic scientists have been investigating the potential benefits of convalescent plasma or Plasma for Medicines (PFM) in reducing the burden of the disease, in terms of prevention and treatment. At present there is a Plasma for Medicines collection strategy rolled out in the UK under the authority of the Department of Health and Social Care. This will enable plasma donors to save the lives of people with rare diseases who have intravenous immunoglobulin as part of their treatment. A clinical study is underway to determine changes in antibody levels in individuals who are donating PFM. The study involves attending a fixed donation centre to provide a PFM donation where withdrawn cones (containing blood cells) will be rescued and analysed at the Shankar Hari lab at Kings College London. A cohort of registered NHSBT PFM donors will be invited to participate to the study; potential participants will be identified and approached by the NHSBT donor team to provide information. Participants will provide their consent during the PFM collection appointment at their local NHSBT donor centre and complete a questionnaire about their COVID-19 infection status and immunisation. The aim of the study is to determine the differences between the antibody and immune cell responses before and after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 and so understand if vaccinated convalescent donors have adequate antibody levels to facilitate further collection of convalescent plasma and PFM. The study is funded by UKRI and sponsored by NHSBT.
REC name
London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/HRA/2395
Date of REC Opinion
8 Jun 2021
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion