• Project status: Active

This Australian-led study is the world’s largest trial on the off-target effects of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine.

The BRACE trial is investigating whether BCG vaccine reduces the incidence of symptomatic and severe COVID-19, as well as other respiratory illnesses and allergic diseases.

Data and sample requests

PhD opportunities

The BRACE trial is investigating whether BCG vaccine reduces the incidence of symptomatic and severe COVID-19, as well as other respiratory illnesses and allergic diseases.

Data and sample requests

PhD opportunities

The BRACE trial is investigating whether BCG vaccine reduces the incidence of symptomatic and severe COVID-19, as well as other respiratory illnesses and allergic diseases.

Data and sample requests

PhD opportunities

About the BRACE trial

As well as preventing severe tuberculosis (TB) in children, the BCG vaccine has off-target (non-specific or immunomodulatory) effects which may enhance protection against other infections. That’s why this multi-centre, randomised controlled clinical trial is working to determine:

  • Whether BCG vaccine reduces the incidence of symptomatic and severe COVID-19
  • If BCG vaccine reduces the impact of other respiratory illnesses and allergic diseases
  • The immunological mechanisms that underlie BCG’s off-target effects, COVID-19 severity and risks
  • The safety profile of BCG vaccination and revaccination in adults
  • If BCG alters the acquisition of latent TB in healthcare workers
  • Biomarkers predictive of COVID-19 risk, severity and vaccine efficacy 

BRACE COVID-19-Specific vaccine sub-study (BCOS) 

In April 2021, the trial introduced the BRACE COVID-19-Specific vaccine sub-study (BCOS) to explore whether it’s possible to predict who remains susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 variants despite previous COVID-19 infection or COVID-19-specific vaccination. The sub-study will look at whether BCG vaccine improves the immune response to Pfizer, AstraZeneca and CoronaVac vaccines.

Our trial data

The trial generated:

Trial Symptom Tracker app entries:

355,000

Telephonista entries:

190,000

BRACE blood samples:

25,000

 

BCOS blood samples:

1,900

Clinic visits:

26,000

Surveys sent:

23,000

 

Who enrolled in the BRACE trial across our 36 sites? 

  • Australia 50% 
  • Europe 15% 
  • Brazil 35% 

Our cutting-edge study of BCG vaccines off-target effects included

icon 100yo v3over 6,800
healthcare workers

icon 100yo v336
study sites

icon 100yo v35
countries

 

icon 100yo v3more than 400
researchers & staff

icon 100yo v3over 335,000
app check-ins

icon 100yo v3 100
year-old vaccine

 

Can a 100-year-old vaccine protect healthcare workers against COVID-19?

Professor Nigel Curtis is a paediatric infectious diseases physician, clinician scientist and leader of the Infectious Diseases Research Group at the MCRI.

See more BRACE videos on YouTube.

 

Professor Nigel Curtis is a paediatric infectious diseases physician, clinician scientist and leader of the Infectious Diseases Research Group at the MCRI.

See more BRACE videos on YouTube.

 

Professor Nigel Curtis is a paediatric infectious diseases physician, clinician scientist and leader of the Infectious Diseases Research Group at the MCRI.

See more BRACE videos on YouTube.

 

Professor Nigel Curtis

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