London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the Republic of Korea-based International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and Gambia’s Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia (MRCG) recently announced the launch of the Research Preparedness Program West Africa (RPPWA). 

IVI, as the ‘Technical Coordinating Partner’, alongside MRCG will co-lead the RPPWA, supporting a consortium of regional stakeholders to bolster the capacity of clinical research sites across West Africa. The RPPWA will allow partners to conduct large-scale clinical trials of vaccines against Lassa fever and future disease outbreaks which might threaten the region.

Alongside its work on Lassa fever vaccine trials, the RPPWA will also support long-term outbreak preparedness in the region. Using US$3.9 million of CEPI funding, the RPPWA’s work will ensure that the right infrastructure and expertise is in place to rapidly generate vaccine data against future viral threats. Having such high-quality clinical trial capacity at the ready in outbreak-prone areas, so that vaccine trials can begin within weeks of a new outbreak, has been identified as a crucial enabler of the 100 Days Mission: a global goal, spearheaded by CEPI and embraced by the G7 and G20, to deliver pandemic vaccines in just 100 days.

Professor Martin Antonio Co-Director of the LSHTM Centre for Epidemic Preparedness and Response welcomed the news: "I warmly welcome this exciting development in epidemic preparedness not only in West Africa but globally. This partnership will establish vaccines and treatment trial sites in West Africa, a vital addition to the LSHTM Centre for Epidemic Preparedness and Response’s wider work to break down barriers and decolonise epidemic scientific innovation and research across the world.”

Professor Ed Clarke, Vaccines and Immunity Theme Lead, MRCG said: “We are thrilled to be co-leading this unique initiative in West Africa. Anyone with knowledge of the clinical research environment in the sub-region and how it has developed, even in the last decade, will recognize the wealth of talent, capacity and potential which already exists. We hope our long-standing clinical vaccine trial, research, and capacity building experience in the sub-region will allow us to further support the development of the vaccine-research ecosystem here, while I am certain we will equally benefit from the expertise of other West African partners, as well as from IVI and additional stakeholders. The ambitious goals set for Lassa fever vaccine development, and for the delivery of vaccines for future disease outbreaks, require coordinated effort and we look forward to contributing to this exciting and forward-thinking consortium”.

Dr Armel Zemsi, Head of the clinical trials unit, MRCG said: “At MRCG, we view this exciting program and dynamic partnership initiated by CEPI as an exceptional opportunity to fortify West Africa and empower the region to assume a pivotal and proactive role in preventing and responding to potential pandemics. To achieve the goal of this project, together with IVI, we will leverage our extensive collective experience in developing clinical trials capabilities and achieving clinical trials readiness in resources-constrained settings.”

West Africa will be the first region where the Research Preparedness Program will launch, but the intention is to expand this approach to other underserved regions across the Global South in the future.

Read the full details of the announcement on the MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM website.