Realizing Effectiveness Across Continents With Hydroxyurea (REACH)

Summary

REACH is a prospective, phase I/II open-label dose escalation trial of hydroxyurea for for pediatric patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA). The short-term goal is to obtain critical pilot data regarding the feasibility, safety, and benefit of hydroxyurea for children with SCA in multiple distinct research settings in Africa. Based on that information, the longer-term goal is to make hydroxyurea more widely available for children with SCA in Africa, particularly those identified with SCA through expanded newborn screening programs.

Timeline

Start

2014-06

Primary completion

2018-07-01

Completion

2033-08

Publications

• Backeljauw P, Tomlinson G, Smart LR, Tshilolo L, Williams TN, Santos B, Olupot-Olupot P, Stuber S, Lane A, Latham T, Ware RE. Growth and puberty in African children with sickle cell anemia treated with hydroxyurea. Blood Adv. 2026 Jul 14;10(13):4483-4494. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2025019511.
• Power-Hays A, McElhinney KE, Williams TN, Mochamah G, Olupot-Olupot P, Paasi G, Reid ME, Rankine-Mullings AE, Opoka RO, John CC, McGann PT, Quinn CT, Punt NC, Smart LR, Stuber SE, Latham TS, Vinks AA, Ware RE. Hydroxyurea pharmacokinetics in children with sickle cell anemia across different global populations. Blood Adv. 2026 Jan 27;10(2):418-427. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2025017254.
• Aygun B, Lane A, Smart LR, Santos B, Tshilolo L, Williams TN, Olupot-Olupot P, Stuber SE, Tomlinson G, Latham T, Ware RE; REACH Investigators. Hydroxyurea dose optimisation for children with sickle cell anaemia in sub-Saharan Africa (REACH): extended follow-up of a multicentre, open-label, phase 1/2 trial. Lancet Haematol. 2024 Jun;11(6):e425-e435. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3026(24)00078-4. Epub 2024 Apr 30.
• Tshilolo L, Tomlinson G, Williams TN, Santos B, Olupot-Olupot P, Lane A, Aygun B, Stuber SE, Latham TS, McGann PT, Ware RE; REACH Investigators. Hydroxyurea for Children with Sickle Cell Anemia in Sub-Saharan Africa. N Engl J Med. 2019 Jan 10;380(2):121-131. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1813598. Epub 2018 Dec 1.
• McGann PT, Williams TN, Olupot-Olupot P, Tomlinson GA, Lane A, Luis Reis da Fonseca J, Kitenge R, Mochamah G, Wabwire H, Stuber S, Howard TA, McElhinney K, Aygun B, Latham T, Santos B, Tshilolo L, Ware RE; REACH Investigators. Realizing effectiveness across continents with hydroxyurea: Enrollment and baseline characteristics of the multicenter REACH study in Sub-Saharan Africa. Am J Hematol. 2018 Aug;93(4):537-545. doi: 10.1002/ajh.25034. Epub 2018 Jan 27.
• McGann PT, Tshilolo L, Santos B, Tomlinson GA, Stuber S, Latham T, Aygun B, Obaro SK, Olupot-Olupot P, Williams TN, Odame I, Ware RE; REACH Investigators. Hydroxyurea Therapy for Children With Sickle Cell Anemia in Sub-Saharan Africa: Rationale and Design of the REACH Trial. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2016 Jan;63(1):98-104. doi: 10.1002/pbc.25705. Epub 2015 Aug 14.

Drugs

Indications