This article was written by Tim Cressey, Clinical Pharmacologist, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. It is taken from the Penta 2025 Annual Report.
RSV remains a major infectious threat to infants and young children worldwide, causing over three million hospitalisations and an estimated 120,000 deaths each year among children under five, with the greatest burden in low‑resource settings. Despite this impact, treatment options for severe RSV remain limited.
In 2025, Penta marked an important milestone with the launch of THAI‑CARES, a Phase II clinical trial evaluating remdesivir as a potential treatment for children aged 0–2 years hospitalised with severe RSV‑associated lower respiratory tract infections. The study aims to expand therapeutic options for this highly vulnerable population and to generate evidence where clinical needs are greatest. The study is being coordinated by the AMS-PHPT Clinical Trial Unit located at the Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai university. All 120 participants were enrolled across eight hospitals throughout Thailand in just over nine weeks, a major achievement for a paediatric RSV trial. This rapid enrolment reflects the commitment of Thai clinicians and research teams, as well as the strength of Penta’s long‑standing partnerships with hospitals and research centres in Thailand.
Conducting THAI‑CARES in a setting where RSV places significant pressure on health systems helps ensure that the evidence generated is locally relevant and applicable. Beyond its scientific objectives, the trial contributes to strengthening regional research capacity, supporting hospitals and investigators to lead future studies. For Penta, THAI‑CARES demonstrates how high‑quality, equitable research can accelerate access to new treatments and deliver impact where it is needed most.