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This project was coordinated by the ICGEB and implemented in partnership with reference testing laboratories in Africa. ICGEB Member States, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Nigeria, have taken part in a pilot study to assess the efficacy of a novel diagnostic tool in diverse settings. Dr Joseph Fokam (TMA2015CDF1027) was the local PI in Cameroon.

This pilot study, performed during the period September 2020-May 2021, contributed to the accuracy in detecting SARS-CoV-2 in resource-limited settings. It evaluated the diagnostic performance of RT-LAMP in terms of intrinsic (sensitivity, specificity) and extrinsic (positive and negative predictive values) characteristics according to SARS-CoV-2 viral load estimates provided by the conventional RT-qPCR in four LMICs of Sub-Saharan Africa. Results from the study show that RT-LAMP represents a formidable alternative to RT-qPCR.  New England BioLabs freely contributed its LAMP technology to the study, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded the project (INV – 022816).

To learn more about this exciting project visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-xSlulkN-4

THEME FOR ICASA 2021 - "Africa’s AIDS response: The race to 2030 – Evidence. Scale Up. Accelerate"

OBJECTIVES FOR ICASA 2021 -

• To strengthen health systems to integrate high impact interventions on comorbidities, emerging infections and NCDs.
• To build, strengthen and invest in Africa’s scientific capacity and manufacturing of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics.
• To Identify in Africa, resource tailored interventions for populations most affected including women, children, adolescents, men and Key Populations.
• To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the HIV/AIDS response and share lessons learned in overcoming barriers in maintaining continuity of care for people living with and at risk for HIV infection.
• To amplify national, regional, continental and global integration to reach epidemic control in Africa: Contributions from Africans in the Diaspora.

Regular Registration for ICASA2021, Durban-South Africa is still open.
Register from today till 31st August 2021 and save 100USD.

For more information visit http://icasa2021.saafrica.org/

Another CEPI partner, Clover Biopharmaceuticals, has become the latest vaccine developer to sign an advance purchase agreement with COVAX to make their COVID-19 vaccine available to populations worldwide.
Under the new agreement between Clover and our COVAX partner, Gavi, up to 414 million doses are set to be made available to participating countries in 2021 and 2022. CEPI’s significant early investments have been critical to the development of Clover’s vaccine candidate, and were directly linked to access commitments which enabled this deal.

Since late Spring, 2020, CEPI has provided up to $328 million to support preclinical and clinical testing of the candidate vaccine, in addition to scaling-up the biotech’s in-house manufacturing capacity. Clover yesterday announced that its pivotal global Phase 2/3 clinical trial—funded by CEPI—is now fully enrolled, and that interim efficacy data is expected in Q3.
COVAX has now distributed over 100 million vaccines since its launch in February this year. Supply of Clover’s vaccine is anticipated to start in the last quarter of the year, pending Emergency Use Licensure from the World Health Organization (WHO).

To learn more visit https://cepi.net/news_cepi/from-lab-to-potential-jab-clovers-covid-19-vaccine-story/