To date EDCTP has funded 56 clinical trials, of which 26 are in HIV/AIDS, 18 in tuberculosis and 12 in malaria fields. EDCTP has also funded individual research projects in these fields involving clinical trials through a total of 36 Fellowship grants. On the occasion of Clinical Trials Awareness Day, EDCTP is proud and grateful to highlight – of the many research projects that could be mentioned – a selection of projects that illustrate the goals of supporting African research ownership, building research capacity in Africa and producing the evidence and scientific results that contribute to the development of more effective health policies.

Professor Chifumbe Chintu’s study of antiretroviral treatment of children with HIV contributed to the approval of the drug Triomune Baby/Junior by the FDA and to the definition of optimal pediatric dosage by WHO.

Professor Marie Louise Newell coordinated the Kesho Bora studies that have influenced refinement of WHO policy for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Dr Anja van ‘t Hoog and her team contributed to great leaps in clinical trial capacity in Kenya and created a vast network of cohorts for future studies in tuberculosis prevention and treatment. The first TB vaccine study has started in 2010.

Dr Christian Happi received an EDCTP Senior Fellowship to conduct a study to validate new biomarkers for monitoring reduced susceptibility/tolerance or resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to Artemisinin derivatives and partner drugs in Nigeria. In an innovative approach the study combines clinical studies with molecular parasitology and epidemiology and cutting edge genomic analysis of fresh samples directly from patients.

Professor Mark Nicol, on a Senior Fellowship grant, contributed to the study that established the evidence base for the efficacy in field conditions of the GeneExpert MBT/RIF rapid diagnostic test for (multi-drug resistant) tuberculosis.

To strengthen African research ownership and to contribute to the capacity to conduct clinical trials according to international regulatory standards in Africa, EDCTP funded the creation of an African clinical trials register. The Pan African Clinical Trials Registry, PACTR, is based in South Africa, and is now the first WHO accredited clinical trials registry covering all diseases and for the whole of Africa. It aims to provide a searchable database of all (prospective) clinical trials conducted in Africa and closely collaborates with the South African Cochrane Centre and the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group.

About EDCTP

The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) was created in 2003 as a European response to the global health crisis caused by the three main poverty-related diseases (PRDs) of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Currently EDCTP is a partnership between 14 European Union member states plus Norway and Switzerland with 47 sub-Saharan African countries. The aim of the programme is to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines and microbicides against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis through promoting the integration of national programmes of EDCTP European Member States and development of a genuine partnership with African counterparts.

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Note to the editor:

For further information, please contact:
G.O. van de Klashorst
Phone: +31 (0)70 344 0885
Email: media[at]edctp.org