Allucent has received a $25.5m Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)-funded grant to support a Covid-19 vaccine decentralised clinical trial.

The award granted through the Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle (RRPV) Consortium is part of Project NextGen.

The trial will focus on establishing correlates of protection (CoPs) in a geographically diverse population to understand the range of immunologic responses to Covid-19 and its vaccines.

By leveraging its expertise in DCTs, Allucent aims to facilitate broader participation and reduce the burdens typically associated with clinical trial involvement.

The company will initiate a 4,000-participant decentralised Phase IV observational study using the project award.

The study will evaluate CoPs following vaccination with a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved or authorised vaccine.

Allucent’s customised DCT model will be used in the trial to enhance the participant experience.

The trial will explore the feasibility of remote, self-collected specimens for CoP analysis and will incorporate wearable devices to potentially predict Covid-19 infections.

The insights gained from the data collected will contribute to the ongoing efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

Allucent chairman and CEO Mark Goldberg said: “We are proud to apply our decentralised trial expertise as a partner to BARDA on this initiative.

“The continuing emergence of new variants and subvariants underscores the need for ongoing optimisation of Covid-19 vaccines to ensure their effectiveness in combating the virus. This study is a step forward in addressing the evolving challenges posed by Covid-19 and mitigating their impact on public health.”