Nigeria and seven other African countries are leading HIV Vaccine Development in Africa.
The USAID-funded initiative, led by the BRILLIANT consortium, has participants from eight African countries under the South African Medical Research Council. The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) is the sole West African site.
The executive director of IHVN’s International Research Center of Excellence, Prof. Alash’le Abimiku, said the consortium, led by African women scientists, brings together researchers from eight African countries. It aims to catalyse African-led efforts toward an effective HIV vaccine.
Prof. Abimiku disclosed this on Thursday at the HIV-VISTA study press briefing organised by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) in Abuja.
She said, “Rapidly evaluate “African” immunogens by doing discovery and pre-clinical evaluation utilising mRNA technology evolving on our continent.”
She stated that this partnership underscores Africa’s potential for innovation and science to solve global health challenges. Collaborating with countries like South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe allows them to leverage the continent’s rich expertise and resources to address the HIV epidemic from within.
Spearheaded by the president of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Professor Glenda Gray, and supported by the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), the initiative is set to revolutionise HIV prevention on the continent.
The project, aptly named BRILLIANT, an acronym for “Bringing Innovation to Clinical and Laboratory Research to End HIV in Africa through New Vaccine Technology,” is part of USAID’s “HIV Vaccine Innovation, Science, and Technology Acceleration in Africa” (HIV-VISTA) program.
The U.S. government agency has committed over $45 million to support the consortium’s collaborative efforts in research, clinical trials, and community engagement across sub-Saharan Africa.
Key stakeholders, including NACA and UNAIDS, welcomed the initiative, with the director-general of NACA, Dr Temitope Ilori, applauding IHVN’s commitment to the consortium’s mission.
She said that while practical prevention tools exist, a safe and affordable vaccine is essential to end the epidemic.
The deputy director of USAID’s Office of HIV/TB, Dr. Ezekiel Jamese, highlighted the consortium’s potential to accelerate global HIV control efforts.
The Brilliant Consortium’s ambitious agenda also includes training and empowering emerging scientists across Africa, ensuring that the next generation of researchers can continue driving HIV research forward.
The CEO of IHVN, Dr. Patrick Dakum, emphasised the importance of community-based partnerships, noting that IHVN’s long-standing role in providing HIV treatment and prevention in Nigeria aligns seamlessly with the consortium’s goals.
On his part, the national coordinator for the Network of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in Nigeria, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, praised the consortium’s commitment to involving local communities in the development process.
“PLHIV and civil society in Nigeria have been at the forefront of the HIV/AIDS fight, and we are excited to work with IHVN and the Nigerian government in advancing vaccine research,” he remarked.
