The Accelerating Clinical Trials (ACT) Consortium recently held a competition to bring high-impact randomized controlled trials to Canada that were initiated and are led by a non-Canadian country.
One of the key objectives of the ACT Consortium is to expand Canadian participation in international trials – this funding opportunity is working towards this goal by connecting high-impact international trials with ACT Networks to support the recruitment of Canadian participants.
Eligible applicants were required to consist of an ongoing and active trial outside of Canada, have an Overall Trial PI located in a country outside of Canada, and a National Canadian PI who is a member of an ACT Network.
Applications were reviewed for eligibility, then eligible applications were scored by 5 independent reviewers with clinical trial experience. The applications were scored on the quality of their design and execution (mark: 30 out of 100), the probability that they will lead to meaningful impact (mark: 40 out of 100), and the planned completion of recruitment and follow-up of Canadian patients related to ACT funding by June 30, 2026 (mark: 30 out of 100). Applications with an average score of 60 or above were ranked. The top 10 ranked applications were each awarded up to $200,000 CAD to support the recruitment of Canadian participants in their international trial.
We are pleased to announce the top 10 applications that will be receiving ACT funding:
Awardees comments:
- “We are very enthusiastic to bring the ARTS Trial to Canada. ARTS will help determine whether the direct oral anticoagulant apixaban provides a net benefit for prevention of thrombosis after procedures at intermediate risk of thrombosis and bleeding in gynecology, general surgery and urology. To date, the trial has opened 10 centers and begun patient accrual in Finland. ARTS has also been approved in the USA and is set to expand to several other countries soon. We look forward to onboarding our 9 Canadian collaborating centers and providing a substantial Canadian contribution to this important international trial. ”
– ARTS Study Team - “We are thrilled to receive support from the Accelerating Clinical Trials (ACT)/Accélérer les Essais Cliniques (AEC) program to work on the BEAT-Calci global platform trial with the University of Sydney and our other partners,” said David Collister, Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta. “Calciphylaxis is a rare and devastating condition, and successful trials for such diseases require collaboration across borders, disciplines, and sectors. Our trial is designed with a definitive clinical endpoint, long-term follow-up, and offers participants access to all active treatments. This award builds on contributions from two competitive funders and two industry partners, bringing us closer to finding effective treatments and demonstrating the leading role Canada plays in trials that make a tangible difference in patients’ lives.”
– BEAT-Calci Study Team - “The research grant from ACT Canada will accelerate and enhance the realization of the BELIEVE-IT trial and contribute to bring in Canada the BELIEVERS trial. These RCTs are major trials comparing transcatheter versus surgical valve replacement in patients with severe bicuspid aortic valve stenosis. These trials will have a major impact on the management of bicuspid aortic valve disease, which is the most frequent congenital heart disease in the population. The results of these trials will inform on which is the best strategy to treat bicuspid aortic valve stenosis.”
– BELIEVERS Study Team - “There are 750 000 Canadians living with heart failure. In heart failure trials, one-third of participants have atrial fibrillation, in real-world practice, it is approximately 50%. The average survival for a patient diagnosed with HF is 5.5 years, with a 1-year risk of death of 25% after a HF diagnosis and a 30-day death rate of 5% after HF hospitalization. The use of anti-arrhythmic drugs has been demonstrated in several trials to be inferior to catheter ablation in achieving sinus rhythm, hence antiarrhythmic drugs are not used in isolation in this study, but rather with catheter ablation to ensure optimal reduction in AF burden. The size and design of CRAAFT-HF will provide a conclusive answer to this question and drive guidelines and clinical practice in this important population, with the potential to save lives and reduce significant morbidity in this group of patients.”
– CRAAFT-HF Study Team - “We are honoured that ACT has chosen to support the EASThigh study. Nearly one million Canadians are affected by AF, making Canada one of the countries with the highest rates of AF per capita. Unfortunately, despite how many Canadians are affected by this condition we still do not know what the best initial treatment of AF is for those at highest risk of experiencing an adverse complication of AF, such as death, stroke, or disability. The EASThigh study aims to address an important knowledge gap in doing so will significantly impact the management of AF world wide. The support of ACT will enable the success of the EASThgih RCT, and will support the Canadian centres as we study this important question.”
-EASThigh Study Team - “The IMPRoving Outcomes in Vascular DisEase – Aortic Dissection or IMPROVE-AD trial has the potential to revolutionize the management of type B aortic dissection by evaluating whether an upfront invasive strategy of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) combined with medical therapy can improve patient outcomes compared to medical therapy and dissection surveillance alone. Thanks to ACT, we are bringing this trial to Canada. This trial offers the promise of better treatment options for Canadians, evaluating strategies to reduce major aortic complications and mortality, and possibly setting a new standard in vascular care.”
– IMPROVE-AD Study Team - “Premature babies are at high risk of breathing difficulties, due to their immature lungs. Surfactant is a medication that can be given into the lungs, which is very effective in helping breathing function for these babies. In Canada, more than 2500 babies are treated with surfactant every year. Existing methods of giving surfactant are challenging to learn, and require extensive training for clinical staff. The SURFSUP Trial is comparing two methods of giving surfactant: the existing approach, and a newer approach using a soft plastic device called a ’supraglottic airway’, which may be more comfortable for babies, and easier to learn for clinicians. To date, SURFSUP has included more than 250 babies in Australia, the UK and Norway. We are delighted to receive this ACT/AEC funding, which will support Canadian neonatal units in joining the SURFSUP Trial. The evidence from this trial will ensure that premature infants in Canadian neonatal units, who require surfactant treatment, will receive it by the safest and most effective method.”
– SURFSUP Study Team - “Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease with median survival of 2-3 years from progressive motor weakness leading to respiratory failure and death. Noni-invasive ventilation has been shown to improve survival in patients with ALS but NIV adherence is challenging. The Canadian Home Mechanical Ventilation Research network is pleased to be collaborating with Dr David Berlowitz on a randomized clinical trial designed to improve NIV adherence and therefore survival in individuals with ALS. The funding of the ACT program is making this trial available for Canadians.”
– The 3LTA Study Team
