Drug trial men conscious
2006-03-18 22:55
London - Four men, seriously ill after taking part in a clinical drug trial in Britain, have regained consciousness and spoken to their families.
Of six men who took part in testing a drug designed to treat chronic inflammatory conditions and leukaemia, two have been taken off organ support after responding to treatment.
On Saturday, medical staff said two other men were receiving less organ support as their condition improved.
The condition of the two remaining drug test volunteers remains critical.
A statement issued by Northwick Park Hospital in north London said: "In response to the treatment they have had, two patients have improved sufficiently to stop receiving organ support.
"They do still need high dependency care and remain under the supervision of the critical care team.
"Two of the other men remain in a serious condition but are gradually receiving less organ support."
All six men continue to be given anti-inflammatory drugs to treat their conditions.
They suffered multiple organ failure within hours of testing a new antibody therapy known as TGN 1412.
Relatives and friends of the two men most badly affected have said the volunteers' features became severely swollen.
Doctors said the six men could make a full recovery.
The trial was being run by United States drug research company Parexel International Corp on behalf of German pharmaceutical company TeGenero AG.
Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is working with police and the British department of health to investigate what went wrong.