In January 2024, the BRILLIANT Consortium held its first in-person meeting in Cape Town, South Africa.
8
Countries Represented
8
Successful Phase 1 Trials
100
Percent African Led
On the 17th of November 2022, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) sent out a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for applications for a cooperative agreement from qualified entities to implement the HIV Vaccine Innovation, Science, and Technology Acceleration in Africa (HIV-VISTA) Project. The eligibility for this award was restricted to local entities in African countries.
South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), The African Alliance, Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Centre for Infectious Disease Research (CIDRZ), Desmond Tutu Health Foundation (DHTF), Institute of Human Virology (IHVN), Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC), Kenyan Medical Research Institute/Walter Reed Program Kericho (KEMRI/WRP Kericho, Makerere University Walter Reed Project (MUWRP), National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), University of Zimbabwe Clinical Trials Research Centre (UZ-CTRC), Wits Health Consortium (WHC) co-created a proposal to spearhead vaccine development (including immunogen and adjuvant design and identification of appropriate platforms and delivery mechanisms); conduct preclinical studies to determine the safety, toxicity and immunogenicity of immunogens and adjuvants in animal studies; and finally conduct clinical trials using novel vaccine formulations, adjuvant combinations and delivery methods.
This work can only be achieved by building on a foundation of robust community engagement and advocacy, capacity utilization and career pathing (including skills and technology transfer), and reference laboratories that will support immunology and safety studies.
On the 21st of September 2023, the South African Medical Research Council, announced that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) had awarded the BRILLIANT Consortium more than US $45 million (approx. R867 million) to implement the HIV Vaccine Innovation, Science, and Technology Acceleration in Africa (HIV-VISTA) programme.
The BRILLIANT Consortium (BRinging Innovation to cLinical and Laboratory research to end HIV In Africa through New vaccine Technology), led predominantly by African women scientists, comprises a multi-disciplinary collaboration from Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, and South Africa. The consortium represents the current brain’s trust and future capacity of HIV vaccine research and development in sub-Saharan Africa, with the overall objective of developing and evaluating HIV vaccine candidates emanating from our continent.
The consortium, led by internationally renowned scientists and community experts, has extensive expertise in HIV vaccine and prevention research, HIV therapeutic research including analytical treatment interruption, HIV immunogen discovery, and First in Human (FIH) experimental HIV vaccine research. It will be managed by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), an entity that has the experience and capability to execute HIV-VISTA in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This consortium is supported by a robust network of diverse and far-reaching representative community organizations.