New consortium to coordinate TB vaccine

10 Jun 2014

Aeras, a global non-profit biotech seeking a new TB vaccine, has provided seed funding for the formation of a consortium that will advocate for, design and implement an effective TB vaccine research strategy for South Africa, which has the world's highest TB incidence.

The TB Vaccine Consortium of South Africa (TBVaC-SA) is a group of academics and other stakeholders in TB vaccine development. It is envisaged that it will play a leading role in the promotion of TB vaccine research in South Africa and internationally. Strategic alignment with other organisations with a TB vaccine research agenda and a close relationship with the Department of Science and Technology will be a priority.

The consortium's strategic objectives are to:

conduct multicentre TB vaccine clinical trials
build sustainable capacity for TB vaccine development
use innovative clinical trial design for efficient vaccine testing to address pathogenesis
advocate for TB vaccine research

Members

These organisations have joined TBVaC-SA:

Right to Care
University of Stellenbosch
Aeras
University of Witwatersrand-SAGE
Vaccines for Africa
University of Cape Town
Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative
Department of Science and Technology
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership Strategic Evaluation
Advisory & Development Consulting

The only available vaccine is the Bacilli Calmetter-Guérin (BCG) that became available in 1921. Whilst BCG is the most widely used vaccine in the world, it has not successfully eliminated the disease due to its limited efficacy. New vaccines are central to eliminating TB that has become increasingly drug-resistant.

Meet today at TB conference

TBVaC-SA invites organisations and individuals to join it in its move towards developing a sustainable strategy for TB vaccine development for South Africa. TBVaC-SA would like to meet potential members at the 4th SA TB Conference opening today, 10 June 2014 at the ICC in Durban. The conference runs until Friday 13 June 2014.