Health Research Council Grant Fuels Landmark Study To Transform Treatment Of Pneumonia, Influenza, & Pandemic Infections

A major grant from the Health Research Council (HRC) has been awarded to support the ground-breaking REMAP-CAP study, led in New Zealand by the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MRINZ). This 5 million dollar funding over 5 years, is poised to bring about significant advancements in the treatment of pneumonia, influenza, and pandemic infections in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The REMAP-CAP (Randomised, Embedded, Multifactorial, Adaptive Platform for Community-Acquired Pneumonia) study, initiated in 2016, is a global research initiative aimed at identifying the most effective treatments for severe pneumonia and influenza, including pandemics. Utilising an adaptive platform design, the REMAP-CAP study focuses on optimising treatments for patients hospitalised with these infections with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes and reducing mortality rates worldwide.

Since its inception, REMAP-CAP has demonstrated remarkable adaptability, swiftly pivoting during the pandemic to evaluate treatments for COVID-19. The study was instrumental in highlighting effective treatments like corticosteroids and immune modulators while identifying ineffective or harmful ones.

Dr Colin McArthur, co-lead of the MRINZ Infectious Diseases programme and the REMAP-CAP study lead, states, “This grant is a testament to both the dedication of our research team and the HRC’s commitment to advancing healthcare in Aotearoa New Zealand. We are ready to embark on this next phase of REMAP-CAP, which holds great promise for improving outcomes from this common illness.”

One of the study's crucial focuses is addressing health disparities, particularly among Māori. “Our goal is not just to find effective treatments but also to ensure equitable outcomes for all patients hospitalised with pneumonia,” states Dr Tom Hills, MRINZ Infectious Diseases programme co-lead.

With this significant funding boost, REMAP-CAP will expand its scope to include less unwell patients hospitalised with pneumonia, influenza, or COVID-19. This expansion will facilitate a comprehensive evaluation of treatments, including optimal antibiotic therapy, influenza antivirals, and immune modulation strategies for severe influenza infection.

“This expansion marks a significant milestone in our commitment to enhancing patient care and addressing health disparities,” says Dr McArthur. “We are grateful, as always, for the support of the HRC and look forward to the impact our research will have on healthcare outcomes in New Zealand and beyond.”

KEY POINTS AT A GLANCE

1. The REMAP-CAP study has been awarded a $5 million grant over five years by the Health Research Council (HRC) to advance the treatment of pneumonia, influenza, and pandemic infections in Aotearoa New Zealand. Dr Colin McArthur and Dr Tom Hills, who jointly lead the MRINZ Infectious Diseases programme, oversee the study, supported by a large research team in 12 Intensive Care Units across the motu.
2. Initiated in 2016, the REMAP-CAP study is a global research initiative that uses an adaptive platform design to identify the most effective treatments for severe pneumonia and influenza, including during pandemics.
3. The study has shown remarkable adaptability during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting effective treatments like corticosteroids and immune modulators, while also identifying ineffective or harmful treatments.
4. The REMAP-CAP study aims to address health disparities, particularly among Māori, in support of equitable outcomes for all patients hospitalised with pneumonia.

This HRC funding allows the REMAP-CAP study to expand its scope to include less severely ill patients. This will enable researchers to evaluate a broader range of treatments, such as optimal antibiotic therapy, influenza antivirals, and immune modulation strategies for severe influenza infection.

BIOS

Medical Research Institute of New Zealand
Rangahautia Te Ora

The Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MRINZ) is Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading independent medical research institute. MRINZ research is guided by a simple philosophy: it must challenge dogma, increase knowledge, and have the potential to improve clinical practice and outcomes, both in Aotearoa New Zealand, and internationally. Committed to contributing toward a more equitable society that celebrates Te Ao Māori and upholds Te Tiriti o Waitangi, MRINZ’s research teams are dedicated to investigating important public health problems, delivering high quality evidence on which to improve the management of disease and patient care.

Health Research Council of New Zealand

The HRC are the Crown agency dedicated to funding and fostering excellent health research. The home of health research in Aotearoa New Zealand the HRC ensure our health research system is a great place for researchers to do work that tangibly improves health and wellbeing for the people who need it most, both now and in the future. Through their ongoing investment the HRC uplift New Zealand as a world leader in high-impact, high-value, health research.

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