Recent community engagement activities organized by experts at MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit have enabled the Unit to attain the recruitment target in its PrEPVacc study. PrEPVacc, an African-led HIV efficacy study, will provide critical information to move HIV vaccine information forward.

Behind the successes of the recruitment are Unit experts and community members ranging from scientists, community liaison specialists, community advisory board members, clinicians, community members, and professional support roles who contributed to the mobilization of 500 healthy male and female volunteers aged 18 to 39 from a pool of over 800 screened potential volunteers.

Follow-up of study volunteers will continue until the second quarter of 2024 and outcomes from the study will be valuable for informing future implementation and uptake strategies by local stakeholders and champions in settings where PrEP uptake is low even when accessible.

About PrEPVacc

The PrEPVacc study is coordinated by MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit under the leadership of our experts   Professor Pontiano Kaleebu, Director of the Unit and Dr. Eugene Ruzagira, Trial Director. PrEPVacc’s will test whether a new form of oral PrEP, TAF/FTC (Descovy) taken daily, is equivalent or more effective than TDF/FTC (Truvada) taken daily, in the context of the current PrEP availability situation at the study sites. PrEPVacc’s vaccine study will test whether two experimental combination vaccine regimens can provide any protection against HIV in populations at risk of acquiring HIV. One regimen combines DNA with protein based vaccine, and the other combines DNA, MVA and protein based vaccine.