First enrolments to PrEPVacc clinical trial at SAMRC in Durban

Enrolments have begun at PrEPVacc’s fourth clinical trial site to open, the Verulam Clinical Research Site in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

The SAMRC site joins the MRC/UVRI site at Masaka in Uganda, NIMR-Mbeya and MUHAS in Tanzania, in currently enrolling participants to PrEPVacc which is testing two different ways to prevent HIV, at the same time.

As well as testing two different HIV vaccine regimens, PrEPVacc is also testing a new form of daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) against the existing standard for PrEP, meaning that participants are testing two ways to prevent HIV at the same time. 

One young woman was enrolled and vaccinated on 30 September, the first in a hoped-for minimum of 1,668 participants across all the clinical sites. The young woman, mother of a seven year old daughter, is a first-time clinical trial participant.

Findings from PrEPVacc will inform scientists as to whether developing either of the two different combination vaccine regimens for preventing HIV is worthwhile or not; and also, whether a new form of PrEP is as acceptable, safe and effective as the available oral standard PrEP, in women as well as men.

In a news item issued by SAMRC, Dr Nishanta Singh, study site Principal Investigator (PI) extended special thanks and gratitude to all the study participants, community members, the PrEPVacc research team, its sponsors, and partners for their support in preparing for the trial to begin in South Africa.

Dr Eugene Ruzagira, Trial Director of PrEPVacc, who is based at the MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, said:

“It has taken a great deal of commitment and hard work to prepare for this HIV prevention study that is testing two ways to prevent HIV at the same time, and we are very pleased to have begun the clinical trial in South Africa,” said Dr Ruzagira.

- Dr Eugene Ruzagira, Trial Director of PrEPVacc

Link to SAMRC news: SAMRC begins enrollment for the PrEPVacc clinical trial