The ACORN Initiative
Located within Hywel Dda University Health Board (HDUHB), the ACORN initiative will transform West Wales into a leading centre for commercial pharmaceutical respiratory clinical trials. Supported by the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Growth (VPAG) research scheme, ACORN has dedicated research personnel, protected infrastructure, and a networked approach into primary care, with agile processes to accelerate the set-up and delivery of industry-sponsored interventional studies. Specific benefits for pharmaceutical companies include:
- expanded Access to Diverse Patient Populations: HDUHB covers a large, research-naive population across rural, urban, and semi-rural communities, offering access to patients who are typically underrepresented in clinical research.
- proven Track Record and Industry Partnerships: The health board has a history of successful collaboration with major pharmaceutical sponsors, delivering high-quality research and meeting recruitment targets.
- a community hub network will enable sponsors to access multiple recruiting centres, with simplified logistics and accelerated study timelines.
- an initiative that is underpinned by strong clinical leadership, robust academic links, and a commitment to workforce development, ensuring long-term sustainability and the capacity to support a growing portfolio of commercial studies.
Choosing ACORN
By choosing HDUHB’s ACORN initiative, pharmaceutical companies can expect efficient trial delivery, access to untapped patient cohorts, and the opportunity to contribute to a dynamic and expanding research ecosystem in Wales. This initiative directly supports the industry’s goals of accelerating innovation, improving trial diversity, and achieving high-quality outcomes in a competitive UK research landscape.
For more information, please contact Professor Keir Lewis (Medical Lead for ACORN) and Jenna Davies (Commercial Research Team Lead).
