EASE-COPD

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A factorial randomised placebo controlled double-blind trial to evaluate Efficacy and safety of adding ASpirin plus omEga-3 and colchicine as repurposed treatments to enhance COPD exacerbation resolution and reduce recurrent exacerbations (EASE-COPD)

• IRAS ID

  1010119

• Contact name

  Marie Fisk

• Contact email

  m.fisk@nhs.net

• Sponsor organisation

  Cambridge Clinical Trials Unit

• Research summary

  BACKGROUND:
  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common condition. People living with COPD often experience worsening of symptoms that cause them to become very unwell. These worsening symptoms are called exacerbations or flare-ups of COPD. They are a leading cause of emergency hospital admissions.
  Treatments for COPD flare-ups have not changed over decades. There is an urgent need to improve treatments.

  AIM
  To find out if aspirin plus an omega-3; and low dose colchicine; may improve recovery from a COPD flare-up, and reduce complications of flare-ups.

  HOW THE TRIAL WILL BE RUN
  In addition to standard of care treatment of a flare-up, participants will be randomly (by chance) allocated to one of these trial arms:
  1) control arm (placebo)
  2) aspirin plus omega-3
  3) colchicine
  4) aspirin plus omega-3 and colchicine

  Participants will be on trial treatment for 3 months.
  Both the participant and their trial team will not know which of the trial treatment arms they are randomised to. We will be able to do this by using dummy pills (called placebo) matched to active treatments.
  We will recruit about 440 people experiencing a COPD flare-up; both from GP practices and hospitals across the UK.

  WHAT IS INVOLVED?
  There are 3 trial visits: baseline, 1 month and 3 months. There is also a telephone follow up at 2 weeks, 6 months and 12 months.
  Participants will be asked to complete a diary for up to 3 months and to let us know if any flare-ups. There will be a blood sample at baseline to assess routine labs and at 1 and 3 months.

  IMPACT
  There is an urgent need to improve treatments and outcomes for patients experiencing COPD flare-ups and this research trial will assess if aspirin plus omega-3, and colchicine are useful treatments for COPD flare-ups.

• REC name

  East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  26/EE/0071

• Date of REC Opinion

  20 Feb 2026

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion