When Hoag Medical Group (HMG) was founded more than three years ago, the
group’s physicians knew they were starting something more than a
convenient and expert resource for medical care in Orange County. They
were continuing the long standing commitment of clinical excellence at Hoag.
“In order to truly lead, we need to translate creative innovation
into the way health care is delivered,” said Jeff Brandt, M.D.,
Ph.D., medical director and founding member of HMG. “Research is
an integral part of the way we do that.”
Having multiple locations throughout Orange County, HMG is now taking the
exciting step of providing patients with access to clinical trials in
allergy/immunology, HIV/infectious disease and diabetes care.
HMG physicians serve as the principal investigators in several of the trials,
which are conducted closely with pharmaceutical and biotech companies
with the goal of bringing cutting-edge resources directly to patients.
Most of the trials are aimed at finding better ways to treat or simplify
treatments for patients to improve outcomes and make chronic conditions
easier for patients to manage. Ongoing trials include:
- Allergy/Immunology: A first for the group, Ankmalika Gupta Louis, M.D.,
is conducting a pediatric clinical trial for children with Primary Immunodeficiency
Disease (PIDD). The allergy and immunology specialist also is conducting
a PIDD therapy trial for adult patients, which she hopes will lead to
better outcomes for people born with deficient immune systems.
- HIV/Infectious Disease: Laura Salazar, M.D., leads a number of Hepatitis
C and HIV clinical trials, including a study of a new single-tablet antiviral
regimen that scientists hope will make HIV treatment easier to manage
with less long-term toxicity. Her research helped pave the way for a new
Hepatitis C medication called Harvoni®, which is now FDA approved
and led to an easier, milder and faster treatment regimen. Dr. Salazar’s
recent work with Harvoni focuses on patients who are co-infected with
Hepatitis C and HIV.
- Diabetes: Daniel Nadeau, M.D., program director of the Mary & Dick
Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag and holder of the Dr. Kris V. Iyer Endowed
Chair in Diabetes Care, is the principal investigator for two new Type
2 diabetes trials. The first will assess the effects of a long-acting
insulin treatment on glucose control. The second will evaluate the effect
of a new oral medication that improves glucose control for patients with
Type 2 diabetes and reduced kidney function. Dr. Nadeau will lead several
other trials in early 2016, including a study that combines new, long-acting
insulin with a new, ultra-fast pre-meal insulin for patients with Type
1 diabetes.
As the HMG Research Program evolves, physicians hope to expand their research
to additional fields, including genetics, telemedicine and neuroscience.
“In order to be relevant and current, we have to be involved in the
things that make us better. This is part of the long legacy of commitment
to the community that has been ingrained in our culture since Hoag first
broke ground,” Dr. Brandt said. “It’s overwhelmingly
impressive how much support there is in this community – from volunteerism
to philanthropy – for the hospital. While we are a community hospital,
we have, with support of the people we serve, taken that innovative leadership
role to continue to evolve and reinforce that commitment.”