The Consortium
Institution
Country
Description
Social media
DRC
The National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB), founded in 1984 in Kinshasa, is the leading biomedical research institution in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Operating under the authority of the Ministry of Health, INRB plays a pivotal role in the fight against emerging and re-emerging diseases such as Ebola, Mpox, COVID-19, measles, and various neglected tropical diseases.
Equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and advanced laboratories, the institute conducts epidemiological surveillance, advanced diagnostics, and applied clinical research, while strengthening local capacities through training programs and partnerships with renowned international institutions.
INRB is widely recognized for its leadership in epidemic response. It has coordinated numerous groundbreaking projects, including the PALM 001 and PALM 007 clinical trials for Ebola and Mpox treatments, vaccine studies for Ebola, Mpox, COVID-19, yellow fever, polio, and measles, as well as in-depth research on neglected tropical diseases such as trypanosomiasis, schistosomiasis, and filariasis.
Committed to providing science-based solutions tailored to local challenges, INRB contributes to improving global health. With a forward-looking vision, the institute continues to expand its scientific impact while addressing the pressing health needs of the Congolese population.
DRC
The National Institute of Public Health (INSP),
established in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2008, is an autonomous public scientific and technical institution responsible for the prevention, detection, and response to epidemics and health emergencies. Its primary objective is to provide information, skills, and an effective framework for addressing health challenges, in collaboration with programs, civil society, and policymakers.
The INSP coordinates efforts to prevent epidemic diseases, strengthens the capacity of health actors, supports health research, and promotes the use of evidence to improve the health system. It is also responsible for the national network of public health laboratories and the implementation of the International Health Regulations in the DRC.
The INSP works closely with other public health institutions to combat morbidity and improve health conditions nationwide.
FRANCE
The National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) is the Coordinating entity of the EBO-PEP project. Founded in 1964, Inserm is the unique French scientific and technological institute that focuses only on human health. Inserm operates under the joint authority of the French Ministries of Health and of Research. The institute is dedicated to biomedical research and human health, and is involved in the entire range of activities from the laboratory to the patient’s bedside. It also partners with the most prestigious research institutions in the world that are committed to scientific challenges and progress in these fields. Inserm is the 3rd most important research institution in the health sector worldwide (Scimago, 2022) and the 1st European academic institution for biomedical research patent applications (EPO, 2021).
FRANCE
The EBO-PEP project is sponsored by ANRS Emerging Infectious Diseases (ANRS MIE). Established in 2021, ANRS-MIE is an autonomous agency within Inserm that drives, evaluates, coordinates, and funds research on HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, and emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. It is responsible for anticipating scientific challenges related to emerging diseases and supporting rapid research deployment during health crises.
FRANCE
ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medical Action) is an international medical NGO founded in 2009 that delivers high-quality healthcare to the most vulnerable populations. To date, ALIMA has provided care to over 13 million people across 15 countries, primarily in Africa. It is recognized for its expertise in maternal and child health, malnutrition, epidemic and emerging diseases, research, and medical innovation.
ALIMA’s effectiveness is based on three principles: the alliance between local and international players (national NGOs, ministries of health, international research institutes); local roots, with 95% of teams from the countries of intervention and an operational headquarters in Dakar; and finally, the constant ambition to innovate in order to transform humanitarian medicine (28% of ALIMA’s activities are devoted to research). ALIMA has already won several international awards.
Guinea
The “Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire” is a Guinean public administrative establishment with legal personality and financial and management autonomy. It is placed under the technical supervision of the Ministry of Health and the financial supervision of the Ministry of Finance.
The mission of ANSS is to implement the strategic orientations of the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene in the field of health safety. As part of the response to epidemics in Guinea, from the declaration of EVD in March 2014 to date, the ANSS has developed and implemented management and control strategies, including the social mobilization campaign (zero Ebola in 60 days, awareness-raising), response vaccination, active surveillance in the belt (SA-Ceint), care and management of infected peoples and clinical research.
Guinea
The “Centre de Recherche et de Formation en Infectiologie de Guinée” is a research center under the administrative responsibility of the University Gamal Abdel Nasser of Conakry, of which it is one of the departments.
Since its creation, the CERFIG’s objective has been to develop into a multidisciplinary research center (clinical research, public health, social sciences and virology) and to act as a focal point for international scientific partnerships in its thematic field.
The CERFIG has carried out numerous research projects on VHF, including EVD and Marburg disease, and has worked intensively on the human and animal reservoirs of diseases with epidemic potential.
During the first EVD epidemic in Guinea, CERFIG team initiated a structuring research project that enabled long-term monitoring and analysis of the clinical, biological, psychological and socio-anthropological after-effects of the disease on survivors. During the second epidemic, the CERFIG enabled early diagnosis and complete sequencing of the viral genome.
Pandemic Preparedness Platform for Health and Emerging Infection Response (PANTHER)
FRANCE
PANTHER was created as a follow-up on the engagement of prominent institutions in the Covid-19 response, and their willingness to bring together their expertise in a consortium to avoid fragmentation and promote collaboration to develop solid pandemic preparedness and response, including on the regulatory aspects. PANTHER is currently sponsoring an African-led Adaptive Platform Trial on Mpox.
SPAIN
ISGlobal is a cutting-edge institution with the capacity to address global public health challenges through research, translation and education.
The health economics group, led by Elisa Sicuri, is a team of economists collaborating with public health, epidemiology, and clinical scientists worldwide. The team has obtained substantial research achievements both in terms of publications and competitive projects, establishing themselves as global leaders in the economics of infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries.
In the EBO-PEP project, ISGlobal will collaborate with other partners, including MSF Access Campaign, PANTHER, ALIMA, and partners from the DRC and Guinea, to gather the information needed for the cost-effectiveness analysis.
Ivory Coast
The PAC-CI program is a non-governmental organization dedicated to health research, created in 1996 as part of a cooperation agreement between Côte d’Ivoire and France. Its main mission is to produce knowledge that is useful to infected and affected populations, while training health professionals in medical research.
A leader in its field, PAC-CI has conducted major projects on HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, maternal and child health, tuberculosis, and emerging infectious diseases such as viral hemorrhagic fevers and COVID-19. Its approach is resolutely multidisciplinary, drawing on clinical sciences, epidemiology, public health, biology, as well as social and economic sciences, in order to better understand the health issues facing populations and propose appropriate solutions.
PAC-CI is currently involved in around 20 clinical studies and has solid experience in the design, implementation, and analysis of multinational adaptive trials. As part of the EBO-PEP project, PAC-CI will contribute its expertise in scientific engineering and support the conduct of the clinical trial.
BELGIUM
MSF will be involved in the project in two ways. First, due to its long term engagement to combat EVD, the project will be able to rely on the operational deployment of MSF in case an outbreak occurs. Second, MSF’s Access to Products for Healthcare will assist in the drug access part of the EBO-PEP project.
MSF has established collaboration with INRB and ANSS on EVD management for several years, and has great experience in EVD management in Africa. In addition its Access Campaign has worked on specific questions around EVD drugs for the local population. This expertise will
be of great help for the consortium.
Senegal
Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) is one of the largest and most prestigious higher education institutions in Francophone West Africa, with over 60,000 students across disciplines such as science, medicine, humanities, law, and political science.
Its ‘Laboratoire de Sociologie en Anthropologie et Psychologie’ (LASAP) is widely recognized for its expertise in designing, implementing, and analyzing community engagement strategies and qualitative research in the context of health crises. LASAP collaborates with a wide range of international partners on clinical trials and epidemic response initiatives.
The team has led numerous studies on topics such as malaria, malnutrition, family planning, and maternal and neonatal health, with a focus on feasibility studies, situational analyses, and process evaluations.
In the field of infectious diseases, LASAP explores the social acceptability of public health measures, behavioral analysis, risk communication, and policy evaluation.
LASAP is also actively engaged in research on emerging and re-emerging epidemics in Africa, with a particular focus on the historical, social, and cultural dimensions of outbreaks, and the role of communities in epidemic governance.
france
With more 55,000 students, 3,200 researchers and teachers, and 2,800 staff members, the university of Bordeaux is one of the leading French public research and higher education institutions, located in a dynamic and culturally rich, fast-developing region.
The University of Bordeaux generates knowledge in science and technology, biology and health, and the humanities and social sciences. Recognised as an “Initiative of Excellence”, it contributes to major scientific advances alongside its academic and socio-economic partners in France and abroad. In line with its humanistic values and its commitment to environmental and societal transitions, it ensures the dissemination of this knowledge to the public and facilitates its technology and industrial transfer.