The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is rolling out a regional clinical trial network aimed at strengthening West Africa’s capacity to generate research evidence rapidly during disease outbreaks, with an additional US$8.2 million commitment from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

The funding will support the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and the MRC Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), which are leading the West African component of CEPI’s Research Preparedness Program.

Announced on October 22 at a launch event in Accra, Ghana, the investment will support implementation of Africa CDC’s hub-and-spoke clinical trial model. The network will connect established clinical research centres, known as hubs, with a wider network of trial sites closer to communities vulnerable to infectious disease outbreaks.

The model is designed to keep clinical trial sites prepared between emergencies through sustained investment in infrastructure, trained personnel and research systems. This would allow countries to activate clinical studies more quickly when outbreaks occur, accelerating the generation of evidence needed to develop vaccines, diagnostics and treatments.

Implementation will begin in West Africa before expanding to other regions of the continent.

Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya said the initiative would help African countries generate their own health evidence and maintain clinical research capacity before emergencies arise, rather than activating trial sites only after an outbreak has begun.

The initiative comes amid recurring infectious disease outbreaks across Africa, many involving pathogens for which approved vaccines are unavailable. The ongoing Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo underscores the need for research systems that can respond rapidly to emerging threats.

CEPI’s Research Preparedness Program was also formally launched at the Accra event. It aims to strengthen clinical trial sites in regions vulnerable to epidemics and pandemics, enabling them to shift from routine research to emergency studies when required.

The programme supports CEPI’s 100 Days Mission, which seeks to enable the development of safe and effective vaccines within 100 days of identifying a new pandemic threat.

With the latest commitment, CEPI’s total funding for the programme has reached US$28.8 million. Although its primary focus is West Africa, the programme also supports selected clinical trial sites in East and Central Africa.

The strengthened network is expected to support research beyond vaccines, including studies involving diagnostics and therapeutics. CEPI says the capabilities will be available to a range of partners, with open-access principles intended to promote wider use of research data and findings.

The initiative brings together Africa CDC, the African Medicines Agency (AMA), the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Africa, CEPI and regional research institutions.

Article by Jed Mwangi

Photo courtesy;Google

https://cepi.net/strengthening-africas-outbreak-ready-evidence-generation-capabilities