African-European HIV Vaccine Development Network

The African-European HIV Vaccine Development Network (AfrEVacc) is a new network devoted to HIV vaccine development and building HIV vaccine trial capacity in South Africa, Tanzania & Mozambique.

The study is funded by the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials partnership (EDCTP) for 4 years, 2008-2012.

Why is AfrEVacc important?

HIV prevention trials are not easy to implement

HIV prevention trials are not easy to implement and their preparation stretches beyond precision around HIV incidence estimates, although this is a key parameter. In the case of T-cell vaccines for HIV, where one of the primary end-points may be viral load at set-point after seroconversion, other data are required, such as determination of viral setpoint and management of primary infection.

Sharing skills and tools is the best way to optimize clinical trial implementation

Through integrating the existing research activities of the partners into this new AfrEVacc Network, it is possible to access data on primary HIV infection (PHI) from a range of sources such as the SPARTAC programme, the Microbicides Development Programme, the Walter Reed East Africa HIV trials network and the PAVE-network. Pooling expertise from these existing programmes into AfrEVacc and sharing leadership of the disciplinary groups (Epidemiology, Community, Social Science, Clinical, Laboratory, Data Management) will optimize the tools available to the network and facilitate the transfer of skills and data from North to South.

Strengthening global expertise in clinical trial implementation

AfrEVacc will also liaise with larger collaborations globally; specifically with the European Vaccines and Microbicides Enterprise (EUROPRISE) consortium, with the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise through the Poxvirus T cell Vaccine Discovery Consortium (PTVDC) and with International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) through the Imperial College Core Facility. Beyond South-North Networking, the AfrEVacc Network will greatly contribute to South-South Networking activities and to the development, acquisition and sharing of local skills and strengths.

AfrEVacc team

Principal Investigator

Prof Jonathan Weber, Imperial College London, UK

Collaborators

Dr Sheena McCormack, MRC Clinical Trials Unit, UK
Dr Michael Hoelscher, University of Munich, Germany
Prof Giuseppe Pantaleo, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Switzerland
Dr Janneke van de Wijgert, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
Dr Denise Naniche, University of Barcelona, Spain
Prof Helen Rees, RHRU, University of Witwatersland, South Africa
Prof Marie-Louise Newell, Africa Centre, University of KwaZuluNatal, South Africa
Dr Khatia Munguambe, FCRB-CISM Manhica, Mozambique
Dr Leonard Maboko, Mbeya Medical Research Programme, Tanzania
Dr Josefo Ferro, Universidade Catolica de Mocambique, Mozambique
Prof Wendy Stevens, Contract Laboratory Services, South Africa