Global Health EDCTP3 launches research projects to combat MPOX
On the 14th of August 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in response to the rapidly escalating Mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and a growing number of affected countries in Africa. This unparalleled global health crisis underscores the urgent need for innovative research and development to contain the spread of the disease and develop effective vaccines and treatments.
Amidst the escalating situation, Dr Michael Makanga, Executive Director of Global Health EDCTP3, offers critical insights into our organisation's response to the outbreak:
At Global Health EDCTP3, we maintain our commitment to empower sub-Saharan African countries to prepare for, prevent, and effectively manage infectious disease outbreaks. Towards the Mpox research response – collaborating with local and regional partners – we have already activated our emergency funding mechanism that enabled rapid mobilisation of research funding from the European Union and the EDCTP member countries. Consequently, grant agreements amounting to 6.7 million Euros have been signed and additional funding for four reserve awards will be announced soon.
Global Health EDCTP3 is one of the global stakeholders spearheading the response to this outbreak by supporting a portfolio of research projects aimed at addressing some of the most pressing challenges posed by the outbreak. In light of the recently declared PHEIC, these projects have taken on even greater significance. Through a fast-track process to fund the best scientific proposals, we have funded five projects whose operations started on the 1st of August 2024.
Given the global imperative for accelerating research and development efforts to contain the outbreak and prevent future epidemics, Global Health EDCTP3 is currently assessing additional investment opportunities. In parallel to the five proposals retained for funding, there are four proposals in the reserve list.
To learn more about the funded projects, below is an overview displaying the project names, budgets and coordinators:
| PROJECT | BUDGET | COORDINATOR* SCIENTIFIC LEAD** |
Deciphering host genetics and viral determinants of MPOX epidemiology in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
| €1,260,000.00 | National Health Laboratory Services (ZA)* Makerere University (UG)** In collaboration with entities from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Canada and the United Kingdom. |
Tackling and investigating the South-Kivu Mpox outbreak.
| €2,066,281.25 | Instituut Voor Tropische Geneeskunde – ITM (BE)* Institut National de Recherche Biomedicale du Zaire (DRC)** In collaboration with entities from France, Canada, Switzerland and the United States. |
Implementing wastewater and environmental surveillance for Mpox in Sub-Saharan Africa. | €1,378,272.50 | Lunds Universitet (SE)* Universite de Kinshasa (DRC)** In collaboration with entities from Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Finland, Norway, the United Kingdom and Belgium.
|
Impact of MPXV infection on pregnancy outcome and newborn health.
| €1,250,000.00 | Universiteit Antwerpen (BE)* Universite Catholique de Bukavu (DRC)** In collaboration with entities from Uganda and Germany. |
Maternal and infant safety and immunogenicity in a Phase 3, open-label, randomised, vaccine trial of a two-dose Mpox vaccine. | €1,599,327.50 | Universiteit Antwerpen (BE)* Université de Kinshasa (DRC)** In collaboration with entities from Kenya and Italy. |
All five projects feature cross-border collaboration and a total budget of EUR 6.7M. The DRC-based entities are actively involved in all the grants and have earmarked 40% (EUR 2.7M) of the total budget allocation.
Background information
Following the High-Level Emergency Regional meeting on 13 April 2024, the Ministry of Health of the DRC considered the ongoing Mpox outbreak as a Public Health Emergency (PHE).
In response to this crisis, Global Health EDCTP3 mobilised emergency funding to tackle the outbreak on 30 April.
The Call for proposals titled ‘Mobilisation of Emergency funding for Mpox outbreak research response’, closed on 29 May after receiving 17 project proposals, involving 77 partners from 35 countries.
The research funds made available under this call aimed at supporting research and innovation projects that would:
• Advance understanding on the ongoing Mpox epidemic in the DRC.
• Contribute to the development of new vaccines and treatments.
• Improve surveillance strategies.
The role of Global Health EDCTP3 in Public Health Emergencies
A key objective of Global Health EDCTP3 is to improve research capacities, strengthen epidemic preparedness and response to infectious diseases outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa, and enhance global health security. Check our article on Global Health EDCTP3’s preparedness and research response to public health emergencies.
This objective is enshrined in the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda and the legal basis establishing the partnership, which has an overall aim to support the development of diagnostics, vaccines and treatments for infectious diseases.
Co-funding acknowledgement:
The Global Health EDCTP3 Work Programme 2024 foresees funding to be mobilised in case of a Public Health Emergency (PHE). This mechanism allows rapid mobilisation of research funding in exceptional and duly substantiated emergencies. The call budget includes co-funding from ANRS Maladies infectieuses émergentes (MIE) and the Department of Health and Social Care of the United Kingdom. Global Health EDCTP3 also recognises additional co-funding from other sources allocated directly to individual projects, which is reflected in the overall project costs in the CORDIS website of the respective projects. Additional funding for reserve proposals will be announced soon.
The text has been updated on 27 August 2024 to include full information about the five projects.