The Royal North Shore Hospital Renal Clinical Trial Unit has a strong research history, participating in Phase 2 to Phase 4 clinical research for more than 20 years. We have a high performing, research-oriented unit, working to deliver best-practice healthcare and overall community wellbeing.
With a strong focus on collaboration, our unit works closely with the community, our workforce and research partners to provide high-quality, evidence-based healthcare.
The Renal Clinical Trial Unit is led by a clinician supported by two full time trial coordinators and a part time research associate. At any given time, our team co-ordinates 15 to 25 investigator-initiated or industry sponsored clinical trials, while also working in a busy clinical environment caring for patients with kidney diseases.
Our research investigates a broad range of conditions including, chronic kidney disease, diabetic kidney disease, cardiovascular health, glomerular disease, dialysis and its related complications, transplantation, hypertension, renal supportive care and pregnancy related outcomes.
The Renal Clinical Trial Unit is currently undertaking a range of investigator-initiated and industry-sponsored trials.

Lead

People

Projects
Clinical Associate Professor Muh Geot Wong
Postdoctoral Scientist
Professor Carol Pollock
Professor
Medicine, Northern Clinical School
Kolling Institute
Clinical Professor Greg Fulcher
Senior Staff Specialist, Endocrinology, Royal North Shore Hospital
Associate Professor Sarah Glastras
Postdoctoral Scientist
Dr Emma O’Lone
Dr Stella McGinn
Dr Yvonne Shen
Dr Sarah Roxburgh
Dr Bruce Cooper
Dr Vikram Puttaswamy
Dr Susan Wan
GRIT
Trial Details: Glomerular Disease Registry
Populations: Glomerular Disease
PI: Dr Muh Geot Wong
Sponsor: The George Institute
PHOSPHATE
Trial Details: A Large Simple Trial (LST) to Determine Whether the Currently Recommended Strategy of Intensive Reduction of Serum Phosphate Concentration Towards the Normal Level Results in Significant Patient-centred Benefits in End-stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) Patients Receiving Dialysis
Populations: Kidney Failure, Chronic Hyperphosphatemia
PI Dr Emma O’Lone
Sponsor: The University of Queensland, NHMRC
TRACK
Trial Details: Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease With Low Dose Rivaroxaban in Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease
Populations: Chronic Kidney Diseases, End-Stage Kidney Disease, Cardiovascular Disease
PI: Dr Muh Geot Wong
Sponsor: The George Institute
CARSK
Trial Details: Screening for Asymptomatic Coronary Artery Disease in Kidney Transplant Candidates Populations
Populations: Cardiovascular Diseases, End Stage Renal Disease, Kidney Transplantation, Dialysis Related Complication
PI: Dr Stella McGinn
Sponsor: University of British Columbia
RESOLVE
Trial Details: Randomised Evaluation of Sodium Dialysate Levels on Vascular Events
Populations: Chronic Kidney Diseases, End-Stage Kidney Disease, Cardiovascular Disease
PI: Dr Yvonne Shen
Sponsor: The George Institute
REDUCCTION
Trial Details: Reducing the burden of dialysis Catheter Complications in patients with kidney disease: a National approach
Populations: End stage kidney disease, Haemodialysis Catheter complications
PI: Dr MuhGeot Wong
Sponsor: NHMRC
TIMELY
Trial Details: Treatment modalities for the InfirM ElderLY with end stage kidney disease: the TIMELY study
Populations: End Stage Renal Disease
PI: Dr Sarah Roxburgh
Sponsor: The George Institute, NHRMC Program Grant
CLARITY
Trial Details: Controlled evaluation of Angiotensin Receptor Blockers for COVID-19 respiratory disease
Populations: End Stage Renal Disease, Cardiovascular disease
PI: Professor Carol Pollock
Sponsor: The George Institute
HaBIT 1
Trial Details: Incidence of De novo HLA Antibody formation after Transfusion with blood products in patients with end stage kidney disease who are planned for live donor kidney transplant: A prospective study
Populations: Live Donor transplant patients at participating hospitals who have a red cell transfusion scheduled.
PI: Dr Stella McGinn
Sponsor: Australian Red Cross Blood Service
TESTING
Trial Details: Therapeutic Evaluation of Steroids in IgA Nephropathy Global Study (TESTING Low Dose Study) (TESTING)
Populations: IgA Glomerulonephritis
PI: Dr Bruce Cooper
Sponsor: The George Institute
Teach PD
Trial Details: A pragmatic, registry-based, international, cluster-randomised controlled trial examining the use of TEACH-PD training modules for incident PD patients versus existing practices on the rate of PD-related infections
Populations: CKD, Peritoneal dialysis
PI: Dr Bruce Cooper
Sponsor: The University of Queensland acting through Australasian Kidney Trials Network (AKTN)
CONTEND
Trial Details: CONsumer views of Treatment options for Elderly patieNts with kiDney failure
Populations: CKD, End Stage Kidney Disease
PI: Dr Sarah Roxburgh
Sponsor: The George Institute, NHRMC Program Grant
PREVENA
Trial Details: Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (PREVENA) Versus Standard Dressings for Incision Management After Renal Transplant (IMPART)
Populations: Kidney Transplant, Vascular Surgery
PI: Dr Vikram Puttaswamy
Sponsor: Royal North Shore Hospital
ACHIEVE
Trial Details: Aldosterone bloCkade for Health Improvement EValuation in End-stage Renal Disease
Populations: ESRF, Dialysis patient
PI: Dr Susan Wan
Sponsor: Hamilton Health Sciences
AlIGNI
Trial Details: A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebocontrolled Study of Atrasentan in Patients with IgA Nephropathy at Risk of Progressive Loss of Renal Function (The ALIGN Study)
Populations: IgA Nephropathy
PI: Dr Muh Geot Wong
Sponsor: Chinook Therapeutics
AFFINITY
Trial Details: The AFFINITY Study is a phase 2, open-label, basket study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of atrasentan in patients with proteinuric glomerular disease who are at risk of progressive loss of renal function.
Populations: IgA Nephropathy, Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, Alport Syndrome, Diabetic Kidney Disease
PI: Dr Muh Geot Wong
Sponsor: Chinook Therapeutics
FLOW
Trial Details: Effect of Semaglutide Versus Placebo on the Progression of Renal Impairment in Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease
Populations: Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
PI: Dr Muh Geot Wong
Sponsor: Novo Nordisk
DUPLEX
Trial Details: A Randomized, Multicenter, Double-blind, Parallel, Active-control Study of the Effects of Sparsentan, a Dual Endothelin Receptor and Angiotensin Receptor Blocker, on Renal Outcomes in Patients With Primary FSGS
Populations: Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis
PI: Dr Muh Geot Wong
Sponsor: Retrophin, Inc.
PROTECT
Trial Details: A randomized, multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group, active-control study of the efficacy and safety of sparsentan for the treatment of immunoglobulin A nephropathy
Populations: Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy
PI: Dr Muh Geot Wong
Sponsor: Retrophin, Inc.
IONIS
Trial Details: An Open-Label Phase 2a Clinical Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness and Safety of IONIS-FB-LRx, an Antisense Inhibitor of Complement Factor B, in Adult Subjects With Primary IgA Nephropathy
Populations: Primary IgA Nephropathy
PI: Dr Muh Geot Wong
Sponsor: Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
ENVISION VIS649 (Previously called VISTERRA)
Trial Details: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multiple Dose Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of VIS649 in Participants with Immunoglobulin A (IgA) Nephropathy
Populations: IgA Disease
PI: Dr MuhGeot Wong
Sponsor: Visterra, Inc






