Infectious Diseases
COVID-19 has raised the importance of research into fighting infectious diseases that threaten populations.
Antimicrobial resistance
The World Health Organization calls antimicrobial resistance, resulting from the overuse of antibiotics or other drugs, one of the top 10 public health threats. In fact, the next global pandemic could be another novel respiratory pathogen of zoonotic origins or a multidrug resistant strain of a previously eradicated pathogen.
In this whitepaper we provide a framework for understanding the antimicrobial crisis and the role healthcare and biopharma industries have to play in mitigating the impact of future pandemics.
Read the whitepaperThe evolution of HIV treatments
HIV is highly heterogeneous, creating barriers to diagnosing and treating the disease. Moreover, the HIV epidemic varies by region and country, necessitating different clinical research strategies across geographies. In this whitepaper, we discuss opportunities for addressing these challenges, best practices for managing infectious disease clinical trials and recent developments in HIV treatment.
Read the whitepaperPandemic respiratory vaccine clinical trials: A departure from business as usual
Vaccine trials for respiratory viruses, even in the best of circumstances, present a number of operational challenges for researchers, many of which are exacerbated in the face of a pandemic created by a novel virus. We focus on the corresponding success factors that can keep pandemic respiratory vaccine trials running at optimal speed and efficiency.
Read the whitepaperHIV infographic
HIV treatments: What has been achieved?
Before antiretroviral treatment availability, life expectancy for a person living with HIV was reduced by approximately 12.5 years. Now, this same individual will have near-normal life expectancy.
Download the infographicInfectious diseases and vaccines blogs
Combatting AMR with new tools to diagnose and treat infectious disease
The employment of antimicrobials to fight previously devastating microbial diseases, such as tuberculosis, meningitis and pneumonia has been a transformative medical achievement.
ICON Joins UNICEF Corporate Vaccine Alliance
The UNICEF Corporate Vaccine Alliance supports UNICEF’s goal to deliver over two billion COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2021.
Battling HIV on many fronts
Discover how in-home services and a global development strategy can help us get closer to more effective treatments.
mRNA vaccines from COVID-19 to HIV
How one virus accelerated vaccine research, spurring innovation and hope for a cure in another.
COVID-19 vaccine trials
The success factors that can keep pandemic respiratory vaccine trials running at optimal speed and efficiency.
C diff and COVID-19
Is this a health risk that can be dealt with sooner than later?
Preparing for Disease X
A look at the potential impact of Coronavirus.
Post pandemic clinical trial strategies
How COVID-19 altered clinical trials forever and what’s next.
Diagnostics on the frontlines of COVID-19
Need for rapid diagnostic testing to identify and track people infected by or exposed to coronavirus.
Infectious diseases and vaccines media contributions
Considerations for vaccine efficacy trials targeting emerging infectious diseases
Shelley McLendon outlines what lessons must be learned to prevent future other emerging infectious diseases developing on a similar scale.
Continuing the fight against antimicrobial resistance
Shelley Mclendon, Vice President, Vaccine and Infectious Disease, offers her insights on the necessary actions to combat the threat of AMR.
Combating antimicrobial resistance
Shelley Mclendon discusses the use of novel diagnostics to help monitor for AMR outbreaks and reduce the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials.
Resisting change: The pathway to better AMR planning
Caroline Forkin, Vice President for Clinical Research Services, offers her insights on the various actions that should be taken to improve AMR planning.
Glycomics applications reinforce precision medicine
Nicole A. Cowan explores how glycomics is joining genomics and proteomics in the study of disease mechanisms and the development of novel therapeutics.
Bringing the fight to antimicrobial resistance: What COVID-19 has taught us about how to face a growing emergency
Dr. Johan Du Toit, Executive Director, Internal Medicine, considers strategies from COVID era clinical trials for addressing the public health crisis of antimicrobial resistance.
On the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis
In this report, Dr Steve Cutler describes ICON’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and how the crisis has pushed new digital technologies forward (page 14).
Business leaders call on Corporate Ireland to support global vaccine rollout
In this article, CFO Brendan Brennan discusses the responsibility of CROs in the fight against COVID-19, particularly by helping the most vulnerable populations gain access to vaccines and treatments.
Morning Ireland business news
In this radio interview, CFO Brendan Brennan briefly discusses the disparity of vaccine rollouts of developed countries compared to less economically developed countries, and the role of ICON as a key partner in developing the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
The changing pace of vaccines
Shelley McLendon considers the knock-on effect of COVID-19 for other infectious diseases, and what we can do to speed up development of future vaccines.
A multifaceted global approach to addressing antimicrobial resistance
Dr. Caroline Forkin, VP Clinical Research Services, considers the best approach to address antimicrobial resistance.
The bottom line: Clinical trials
Nuala Murphy, President Global Specialty Solutions, contributes to the Bottom Line BBC4 podcast about the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine on the clinical trial process and whether these changes could work for other drugs.
Inside the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine trial: ‘We knew the world was watching and waiting for results’
An article featuring commentary from Dr. Nuala Murphy on ICON’s learnings from conducting the Pfizer/BioNTech trial.
Global collaboration: Irish company ICON on scaling up COVID-19 vaccine trials
An interview in which Steve Cutler gives a short overview of ICON and describes the company’s role in the Pfizer/BioNTech trial, explaining how the FDA played a critical role in expediting regulatory approvals.
The effect of Covid-19 solutions on the clinical trials process
Shelley McLendon, VP of Project Management, Vaccines and Infectious Diseases at ICON, outlines best practices that can keep trials running at optimal speed and efficiency, and the benefits of adopting a strategic partnership.
A challenge of pandemic proportions
ICON CEO Steve Cutler, discusses running the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine trial, and how it proved the value of partnership, and the key role of technology.
What does it really take to conduct a vaccine trial at scale?
Dr Nuala Murphy, President of Clinical Services, talks exclusively to Pharmafield about the Pfizer / BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine trial and the implications this has on the future of drug development.
The current and future landscape of HIV treatments and vaccines
Dr. Caroline Forkin discusses the current status of HIV treatments and potential for researchers to develop a vaccine.
Rediscovering HIV: A new decade of research and innovation on the horizon
Dr. Caroline Forkin and Shelley McLendon discuss a new decade of research and innovation on the horizon for HIV.
Explore solutions to end AIDS epidemic
Running HIV trials requires new and creative approaches, to combat stigma and reflect the diverse cultural, lifestyle and biological circumstances.
Vaccine trials were run to the highest regulatory standards
COVID-19 vaccine trials.
Pfizer COVID vaccine trial proved remote monitoring, other innovations work
Starting clinical trials in weeks, as opposed to months, should be possible post-pandemic. (PDF)
Irish pharma group ICON carried out trial of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine
Irish clinical trials group Icon has revealed that it carried out the late-stage trial of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.
Inside a vaccine trial
Dr. Murphy of ICON, provider of clinical services to Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID vaccine program, discusses what it takes to conduct a vaccine trial of this scale.
Treatment options for Clostridioides difficile
An immediate by-product of the COVID-19 pandemic has been an increase in antimicrobialresistant infections, including Clostridioides difficile.
Here’s what we have to do to show a coronavirus vaccine works
The global effort to create a vaccine on such short notice is unprecedented.
ICON executives discuss key challenges of delivering a coronavirus vaccine
ICON mobilised its vaccine resources to address the COVID-19 global pandemic. (PDF)
The impact of influenza vaccination on the COVID-19 pandemic?
Evidence and lessons for public health policies.
Best practices in seasonal vaccine efficacy studies
Recommendations for study planning, enrolment, surveillance and study closeout.
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Please visit ICON's Preference Centre and select 'Infectious Diseases and Vaccines' under 'Therapeutic Areas of Interest' to receive new insights on infectious diseases and vaccines.
Receive new insightsInfectious diseases and vaccines services
ICON’s extensive Infectious Disease expertise enables us to consistently select the best sites, expedite start-up timelines, and achieve enrolment targets for our clients. We apply proven strategies to clinical trials that minimise risk and generate high-quality, reliable data reducing the time and cost of bringing new therapies to market.
Read more about ICON's services in infectious diseases and vaccines