Alcanza Clinical Research

Central Florida residents will be part of the development of a vaccine against COVID-19, thanks to a local company.

Accel Clinical Services, the parent company of Accel Research Sites, today announced that its DeLand clinical research unit would serve as one of the sites for several clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines. Accel Research Sites is now seeking participants, particularly among high-risk populations, such as healthcare workers, grocery stores employees, and theme park workers.

“Accel Research Sites has been dedicated to helping advance healthcare and provide patient treatment options for nearly two decades,” said Matt Maxwell, CEO of Accel Clinical Services. “This is a critical moment for our industry and our world, and we are proud to help facilitate these important clinical trials.”

Clinical trials help provide participants with access to new care options at no cost to them. These studies are unique, Maxwell said, in that they are particularly seeking people who are at a higher risk of being exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and are at risk of infection, such as essential workers.

He estimates Accel Research Sites might need up to 2,500 participants over the next year. Participants could expect to make several return visits for observation over the course of the next three years, depending on which study they participate in, as new studies open and testing for new vaccine options continues.

Each study has different requirements, but all healthy people in the Central Florida area who are interested are encouraged to apply. Interested parties are instructed to visit covidorlando.com and input their information. A member of the Accel Research Sites team will then reach out to further evaluate eligibility.

Pre-screening is starting now, and trials begin as early as next week. One of the confirmed studies for which Accel Research Sites is a location is the Moderna COVE Study of the mRNA-1273 vaccine.

Accel Research Sites provides novel treatment options in all major therapeutic areas. It has more than 30 locations, including a 62-bed Phase 1 unit in Florida and units in Georgia and Alabama.

Accel Research Sites has enrolled more than 12,000 patients in more than 1,000 trials since its inception in 1998.