Hull Health Trials Unit

What Hull Health Trials Unit does

Hull Health Trials Unit (HHTU) is a UKCRC-registered Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) established in March 2019 as a collaboration between Hull York Medical School (HYMS), the University of Hull, and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH). It provides end-to-end clinical trial management services to academic investigators and NHS clinicians, including study design, regulatory and ethics submissions, trial setup, monitoring, close-out, data management, and statistical analysis. The unit operates a portfolio of named trials spanning respiratory disease (MABEL, BREEZE-2, FanFIRST, COPD CardioProtect), endocrine (STARLIT programme, RE-SCAIT), oncology (PRE-DX, PRETZCEL), palliative care (DAMPen-D 2), rare disease (MOI-A), mental health and addictions (CAMHR, REDUCE), and paediatric ADHD (CONIFAS2), with active recruitment across 15+ UK NHS hospital trusts and international sites in Italy.

HHTU's technology stack comprises REDCap Cloud for electronic data capture, the University of Hull Data Safe Haven (a Trusted Research Environment with NHS-aligned information governance), and standard clinical trial methodology. The unit runs an EDI group, a Methods Hub, and a Patient and Public Involvement programme, and holds the NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit submission. Staff credentials include UKCRC operational group leadership (DISOG co-chair) and outputs that span 11 ICTMC 2024 posters and publications in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine and BMJ Open.

HHTU is a non-profit entity that generates revenue through three streams: competitive research grants from funders including NIHR (HSDR, HTA, RfPB), MRC, UKRI, and Yorkshire Cancer Research; fee-for-service contracts with commercial and charity sponsors such as AstraZeneca, ImaginAb, and Genomic Health/Exact Sciences; and Data Safe Haven access fees for academic and NHS collaborators. The unit grew from 4 to 22-23 staff between 2019 and 2026 and is led by Professor Judith Cohen, who also co-directs the £11M NIHR-funded Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Research (CAMHR).

Name

Hull Health Trials Unit

Legal name

Hull Health Trials Unit

Website

https://hhtu.hull.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hull Health Trials Unit is a UKCRC-registered Clinical Trials Unit providing end-to-end trial management, data management, and statistical analysis services to academic investigators and NHS clinicians across the UK, coordinating multi-site studies in respiratory, endocrine, oncology, and palliative care.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical Trial Management Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Point-of-Care & Decentralized Trial Testing Services (HLAGAEAK)

Keywords

• Clinical trials unit
• Electronic data capture
• Trusted research environment
• Clinical trial design
• Trial management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hull

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. NIHR-Funded Research Grants: HHTU operates as a CTU embedded within a university/NHS structure. The majority of its revenue comes from competitive grant funding awarded to research studies it manages. Major funders include NIHR HSDR, NIHR HTA, NIHR RfPB, MRC, UKRI, and Yorkshire Cancer Research. Revenue covers staff costs, site management, data infrastructure, and study delivery.
2. Fee-for-Service (Commercial & Charity Sponsors): HHTU provides clinical trial management and data services to commercial sponsors (e.g., AstraZeneca for COPD CardioProtect) and charity/foundation sponsors (e.g., ImaginAb for PRETZCEL). Fees are negotiated per study for CTU services.
3. Data Safe Haven (DSH) Services: The DSH provides a secure data environment for external researchers, students, and NHS/academic collaborators. Revenue is generated through project costings and data access fees. Free access is available for qualifying student projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HHTU is a UKCRC-registered Clinical Trials Unit providing specialist clinical trial management services to academic investigators and NHS clinicians. It supports the design, set-up, delivery, monitoring, data management, and statistical analysis of clinical trials across all phases and therapeutic areas, and operates a Data Safe Haven trusted research environment with NHS-aligned information governance for secure processing of sensitive research data.

Product overview

Hull Health Trials Unit (HHTU) is a UKCRC-registered Clinical Trials Unit offering clinical trial management services and a Data Safe Haven trusted research environment. The unit collaborates with clinicians and researchers across multiple disciplines to design, deliver, and analyze health research. HHTU manages a portfolio of named clinical trials including the MABEL morphine for breathlessness study, STARLIT needle-free adrenal insufficiency testing programme, BREEZE-2 pulmonary fibrosis breathlessness management trial, ProACTIVE alcohol care teams evaluation, DOORstep breast screening transport study, MOI-A osteogenesis imperfecta losartan trial, and the Data Safe Haven for secure research data processing. The unit provides specialist support across all stages of clinical research from protocol development through to dissemination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clinical Trial Management Services End-to-end management of clinical trials including study design, set-up, monitoring, and close-out across multiple therapeutic areas and UK NHS sites. Provided to academic investigators and NHS clinicians via collaborative research partnerships and grant-funded study delivery.
• Data Safe Haven (Trusted Research Environment) NHS-aligned Trusted Research Environment with technical and information governance controls for the secure storage and processing of sensitive research data. Supports projects across University of Hull faculties and external NHS collaborators, with data from providers including NHS England, CPRD, and UK Data Service.
• MABEL Trial NIHR-funded randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of low-dose oral modified-release morphine versus placebo for chronic breathlessness in people with cardio-respiratory diseases or cancer. Health economics results published in BMJ Open.
• STARLIT Programme Three-stage programme developing and clinically validating a needle-free Nasacthin test for diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency using salivary cortisol measurement instead of blood samples. Sponsor: Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust; Chief Investigator Dr Charlotte Elder.
• BREEZE-2 NIHR RfPB-funded multi-centre randomised controlled trial evaluating a complex non-pharmacological breathlessness management intervention in people with pulmonary fibrosis and chronic breathlessness. Sponsored by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
• ProACTIVE NIHR HSDR-funded integrated mixed-methods programme examining clinical and cost effectiveness of Alcohol Care Teams (ACTs) to inform future commissioning of these services across NHS hospitals. Chief Investigators: Prof Tom Phillips (University of Hull) and Prof Julia Sinclair (University of Southampton); sponsor University of Southampton.
• DOORstep Yorkshire Cancer Research-funded cluster randomised GP feasibility trial evaluating free door-to-door transport to increase breast screening appointment uptake in Yorkshire.
• MOI-A UKRI-funded Phase II/pilot randomised controlled trial investigating whether losartan can reduce bone turnover in older adolescents and adults with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, conducted as a demonstration project within the REMEDi4All European drug repurposing consortium (Horizon Europe co-funded).
• PRE-DX Multi-centre randomised controlled trial investigating whether pre-operative Oncotype DX testing can help plan breast cancer treatment decisions, comparing biopsy testing at diagnosis versus at surgery. Funded by Genomic Health (Exact Sciences).
• REDUCE NIHR-funded randomised controlled trial evaluating internet and telephone support to help patients taking long-term antidepressants taper off and stop treatment when appropriate.
• COPD Cardio Protect AstraZeneca-funded exploratory randomised controlled trial investigating the effect of inhaled budesonide on platelet activity and function in people with COPD to understand cardiovascular disease risk. Sponsored by Hull Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
• FanFIRST NIHR RfPB-funded feasibility randomised controlled trial evaluating whether hand-held fan and breathlessness management techniques can help COPD patients manage symptoms and reduce SABA inhaler use. Sponsored by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
• DAMPen-D 2 NIHR-funded multi-centre trial testing whether a staff training intervention can improve Detection, Assessment, Management and Prevention of Delirium in Palliative Care Units across England, Scotland and Wales.
• CONIFAS2 Feasibility randomised controlled trial of a co-produced home-based, family-led nature-based intervention for children with ADHD, delivered with professional telephone support.
• RE-SCAIT NIHR HSDR-funded three-stage mixed-methods project implementing and evaluating the waking salivary cortisone (WSC) test for adrenal insufficiency diagnosis across multiple NHS Trusts. Sponsored by the University of Sheffield.

Quantifiable outcome

• MABEL trial: morphine group participants completed ~10 additional minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity per day vs. placebo; constipation, nausea and vomiting were manageable within the first week.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• REMEDi4All Consortium (EU Horizon Europe)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025MOI-A is a demonstration project within the REMEDi4All (Repurposing Medicines for All) European platform for drug repurposing, co-funded by UKRI within Horizon Europe. HHTU Director Judith Cohen attends REMEDi4All General Assembly meetings; the consortium supports drug repurposing methodology and provides access to an international network of expertise.
• University of SheffieldcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Sponsor for RE-SCAIT study; academic collaborator on STARLIT (Chief Investigator Dr Charlotte Elder) and MOI-A. Provides research governance, ethics, and academic methodology expertise across multiple shared studies.
• IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli (Bologna, Italy)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-sponsor of the MOI-A study alongside Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust. Site for international recruitment in Italy (Milan, Bologna). Provides clinical expertise in osteogenesis imperfecta and coordinates with UK sites for the international dose-escalation trial.
• UKCRC (UK Clinical Research Collaboration)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024HHTU achieved full UKCRC CTU registration in 2024. HHTU staff hold leadership roles within UKCRC operational groups: John Turgoose is co-chair of the Data and Information Systems Operational Group (DISOG); Matthew Northgraves is a member of the Trial Management Operations Group. HHTU staff attend and present at UKCRC network events.
• Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-sponsor of MOI-A (with Rizzoli, Italy) and sponsor of STARLIT programme. Provides PI sites for multiple HHTU-managed studies including STARLIT, PRETZCEL, and MOI-A. Chief Investigator Dr Charlotte Elder leads STARLIT programme.
• Hull York Medical School (HYMS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019HYMS is one of the three founding partners of HHTU, alongside the University of Hull and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. HHTU facilitates collaboration between HYMS clinicians and researchers on clinical trial design, delivery, and analysis.
• University of HullcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019The University of Hull is one of the three founding partners of HHTU and provides the institutional host, staff infrastructure, Data Safe Haven environment, and academic research network for the CTU.
• Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019HUTH is one of the three founding partners of HHTU, providing clinical trial sites, NHS research infrastructure, and clinical investigator expertise. HUTH serves as sponsor for multiple HHTU-managed trials including BREEZE-2, COPD CardioProtect, and FanFIRST.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• IQVIA: Global commercial contract research organisation providing clinical trial design, management and data services to biopharma and medical device sponsors. Operates in the same broad clinical trial services market as HHTU but at vastly greater scale and predominantly on a commercial-fee basis rather than grant-funded academic model.

Direct peers

• Newcastle Clinical Trials Unit: Newcastle University-hosted UKCRC-registered CTU supporting design, conduct and analysis of multi-centre clinical trials. Comparable in scale and service portfolio, and has even supplied alumni to HHTU's data management team.
• Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit (NCTU): University of Nottingham-hosted UKCRC-registered CTU. Directly comparable as a mid-sized academic CTU; notably runs the FACTS staff-wellbeing study in which HHTU is currently participating, evidencing active collaboration and similar scale.
• Imperial Clinical Trials Unit (ICTU): Imperial College London-hosted UKCRC-registered CTU offering a full range of trial design, management and analysis services. Same UKCRC full-registration model as HHTU, but at a substantially larger scale and with deeper commercial trial portfolio.
• Leeds Clinical Trials Research Unit (LCTRU): University of Leeds-hosted UKCRC-registered CTU providing trial design, data management and statistical analysis across multi-site NHS studies. Directly comparable in mission and structure to HHTU, including shared investigator overlap on DOORstep (University of Leeds health economics collaboration).
• Sheffield Clinical Research Unit (SCRU): Sheffield-hosted CTU from which HHTU's Director Judith Cohen transferred expertise in 2017. Operates a very similar academic CTU model supporting multi-site clinical trials across Yorkshire NHS partners, making it a natural structural and operational comparator.
• Cambridge Clinical Trials Unit (CCTU): University of Cambridge-hosted UKCRC-registered CTU. Operates the same academic CTU service model as HHTU but at a larger scale and with a stronger commercial/biopharma sponsor base.
• Southampton Clinical Trials Unit (SCTU): University of Southampton-hosted UKCRC-registered CTU. Sponsors the ProACTIVE programme that HHTU helps deliver and shares a similar academic CTU service model across multi-site NHS studies.
• Liverpool Clinical Trials Unit: University of Liverpool-hosted UKCRC-registered CTU offering trial management, data and statistical services across multi-site studies. Comparable in mission, structure, and therapeutic breadth to HHTU.
• King's Clinical Trials Unit (KCTU): King's College London-hosted UKCRC-registered CTU providing trial design, conduct and analysis across multi-site studies. Same model and UKCRC status as HHTU, but operating from a major London academic health science centre.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hullhealth-trialsunit

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Hull Health Trials Unit