Hydroxyurea for young children with sickle cell anemia in sub‑Saharan Africa
Realizing Effectiveness Across Continents with Hydroxyurea(REACH): A Phase I/II Pilot Study of Hyroxyurea for Children with Sickle Cell Anemia
This project gives hydroxyurea to young children with sickle cell anemia in sub‑Saharan Africa to reduce painful crises, hospital stays, and early death.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cincinnati, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11399210 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If your child has sickle cell anemia, this program offers hydroxyurea treatment and follows children prospectively at clinics in four African countries. The effort began with neonatal screening to diagnose infants and then started hydroxyurea, gradually increasing each child's dose to their maximum tolerated level. Over 600 children received treatment and the teams collected more than 3,000 patient‑years of safety and outcome data, despite COVID challenges. Clinics tracked sickle‑related events, side effects, and practical delivery issues to show whether routine use of hydroxyurea is safe and feasible in these settings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Young children (newborns through about 11 years) diagnosed with sickle cell anemia at participating sites in sub‑Saharan Africa are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Children without sickle cell anemia, adults, or patients with medical contraindications to hydroxyurea (for example severe bone marrow suppression) would not be expected to benefit from this specific program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lower pain crises, infections, hospitalizations, and early deaths among children with sickle cell anemia in sub‑Saharan Africa.
How similar studies have performed: Hydroxyurea has a long history of success in children with sickle cell disease in high‑income countries, but REACH is among the first large programs testing safe dosing and delivery across multiple African settings.
Where this research is happening
Cincinnati, United States
- Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr — Cincinnati, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ware, Russell E — Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr
- Study coordinator: Ware, Russell E
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.