On May 20, 2025, the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA) hosted its annual Trial of the Year Awards, coinciding with International Clinical Trials Day. The event celebrated Australia’s most impactful investigator-led clinical trials, highlighting their contributions to healthcare innovation and patient outcomes.
The 2025 ACTA Trial of the Year Award was awarded to the PLUSS trial, recognising a groundbreaking study that could transform care for extremely preterm infants.
Led by Professor Brett Manley and conducted under the IMPACT Network, the trial investigated whether giving intra-tracheal budesonide with surfactant could reduce the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)—a serious lung condition in premature babies. Conducted across 21 hospitals in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Canada, the study enrolled over 1,000 infants and showed promising results.
Read more about the awards on the ACTA website.