"Vietnam’s quest for new solutions to address the challenge of TB detection & control" (Ho Chi Minh City, 10-11 November 2014)

A meeting co-organised by PHUSA BIOCHEM and BÊNH VIÊN PHAM NGOC THACH is to be held soon in  Vietnam. The objective of this meeting is to assess the medical reality and TB needs in Vietnam and to bridge current TB medical practices with technical innovation. In this context, Phusa Biochem’ s R&D activities related to the development of a TB diagnostic prototype will be presented. The meeting is expected to constitute the basis for a successful alliance between the public and the private sector for needs-driven innovation for health. Information available at http://phusabiochem.com/hoinghi/kittb/?page_id=15.

EDCTP 2 is back with new opportunities!

 

The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) was created in 2003 as a European response to the global health crisis caused by the three main poverty-related diseases of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. EDCTP aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with a focus on phase II and III clinical trials in sub-Saharan Africa.

On 6 May 2014, the Council of the European Union (EU) approved the participation of the EU in the second phase of the EDCTP programme (EDCTP2). With an EU contribution of € 683 million for the 10-year programme period and additional contributions from Participating States and third parties, EDCTP2 will continue to support the clinical development of new or improved diagnostics, drugs, vaccines and microbicides against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.However, EDCTP2 will now support research on neglected infectious diseases (NIDs).

EDCTP2 will continue to promote and support:

   * Multicentre projects that combine clinical trials, capacity building and networking
   *  Capacity development for clinical trials and clinical research in developing countries
    * Fellowships
    * Closer collaboration with industry, like-minded organisations, funders of global health research and development cooperation agencies.

The geographical focus of EDCTP2’s activities will remain on sub-Saharan Africa, although collaborative research with other developing countries outside sub-Saharan Africa could be envisioned when possible and desirable.

The first call 'Diagnostic tools for poverty-related diseases' has just been published at http://www.edctp.org/calls-and-grants/calls-for-proposals/diagnostic-tools-for-poverty-related-diseases/

As a result of the possibility to support research on neglected infectious diseases, the project anticipated with DNDi (see blog April 25th, 2013 ) will be revitalized and a meeting with DNDi is planned soon in Geneva.

Also, given the possibility to extend now collaboration with other developing countries out of Africa, the potential evaluation of a low-cost PCR-based TB diag tool designed by CTGen (see blog August, 2013) in Africa,  is under consideration.

 

Meeting La Paillasse

We received the visit of a member of the French association La Paillaisse which defines itself as a  “biohackerspace” and which belongs to the international movement DIY BIO (Do-It-Yourself Biologist).  The aim is to build biological projects made available to all in term of direct participation and in term of sharing results and technologies. The design of materials such as UV- transilluminator, cell  centrifuge… are some of the projects in progress with the ultimate goal to permit every one, everywhere to do the same (no licencing, publishing of the whole procedures).We discussed the possibilities to forward this information to our partners, NGOs and scientists working in LMICs. 
You may contact La Paillasse at adrienclavairoly@hotmail.com