MVI and GSK visit KHRC – 1^st June, 2010

Three officials from the Programme for Appropriate Technology in Health/ Malaria Vaccine Initiative (PATH/MVI) and one from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) paid a three day official visit to the Kintampo Health Research Centre KHRC). This took place from 1st – 3rd June, 2010. Officials from MVI included: the Director, Dr. Christian Loucq; Dr. Didier Leboulleux, Associate Director, RTS,S Program and head of the RTS,S Clinical Unit and Barbara Savarege, head of Clinical Operations, RTS,S program. Dr. Didier Lapierre, head of Clinical Development for vaccine against diseases of the developing world was the only official from GSK.

MVI’s main mission is to accelerate the development of malaria vaccine and ensure the availability and accessibility of the vaccine in developing countries.

GSK is engaged in research to treat or prevent diseases of the developing world.

In a speech by Dr. Christian Loucq, he mentioned that the visit to KHRC was necessary in that KHRC is a very important member of the community working on the clinically most advanced malaria vaccine – the RTS,S vaccine.  He added that KHRC is an important centre participating in one of the most important events taking place in Africa for a malaria vaccine, which is the phase III trial. Their visit was therefore to afford them the opportunity to meet with the RTS,S team in KHRC and to observe the field work on the vaccine trial.

He stated that they had the opportunity to interact with each of the teams working on various aspects of the vaccine trial – from vaccination to the cases of disease coming, the clinical laboratory where they saw activities on parasitology, chemistry and haematology, the data management systems and all aspects of the trial. He said “it is a very good job that is done and I am very impressed by the motivational team by the fact that each member of the team knows very well the job and delivers on the job”.

Dr. Christian Loucq added “keep on with the good job, keep on with the good work and I think that the team here under the leadership of Dr. Seth Owusu-Agyei, Director of KHRC is making a lot progress, according to what I have heard from my colleagues  who have already come. We are fully confident that the team is going to deliver on the malaria vaccine trial and I hope that we will have the opportunity to work for a long time, in fact for the current vaccine and the next one”.

On his part, Dr. Didier Lapierre had this to say “I can only applaud the quality of the centre. I made a comment to somebody that Kintampo is really a clinical trial factory, extremely well organised and each person knows exactly what he or she has to do and it is very impressive”. 

The Director of KHRC, Dr. Seth Owusu-Agyei was very thankful to both MVI and GSK for the support the centre has received as far as the vaccine trial is concerned. He assured that every staff will continue to give off his/her best in the trial and hopefully, a malaria vaccine will be licensed in the near future to save the so many lives that are lost due to the disease.

For more info contact:

Kabio Casimir Donlebo (Communications Officer).
Kintampo Health Research Centre
P.O.Box 200
Kintampo.B/A.
Tel: +233 246 391916