Macau has reached a major moment in its clinical research journey. For the first time in its history, a participant has been successfully screened and dosed in a novel drug clinical trial, a landmark facilitated by the Macau University of Science and Technology Clinical Trials Centre (MUST-CTC). Although Macau has now secured approval for two international multi-centre new drug studies, this is the first time the journey has progressed all the way to a participant receiving the study medication, marking the beginning of clinical trial activity on Macau soil. The study is sponsored by international biopharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim.
The trial commenced on 26 March 2026, and completed the screening and dosing of the first participant, as well as the sponsor’s first on-site monitoring visit after participant enrollment, within approximately three months. This not only ensured compliance with clinical trial regulations but also fully demonstrated the team's solid operational capability. This achievement was made possible through close collaboration with The University of Hong Kong Clinical Trials Centre (HKU-CTC), which provided strategic coordination and platform support, enabling MUST-CTC to conduct the trial to the highest international standards.
The study is a Phase III, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled international multi-centre trial open to adult participants with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease who have no history of heart failure. It investigates whether Vicadrostat, taken together with Empagliflozin, helps reduce cardiovascular risk in these patients, compared against a placebo combined with Empagliflozin. Operating at the MUST University Hospital site, MUST-CTC oversees the day-to-day coordination and execution of trial activities, with collaborative support from HKU-CTC through the ClinCluster® international clinical trials institution management platform.
Following this first dose, the participant will continue taking the study medication daily as per protocol and attend regular follow-up visits at the study site, where the research team will monitor their health, over a study period of up to approximately four years. This milestone reflects Macau's growing maturity in advancing clinical research, with the necessary conditions now in place across both regulatory approval and practical execution. Looking ahead, MUST-CTC will continue to advance high-quality clinical research, helping innovative therapies reach more patients sooner.
