In late 2014, staff at the CCBR began work with staff in the Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) on the design of a clinical trial to prevent (by vaccines) and treat Ebola in the ongoing epidemic in West Africa. Working with collaborators in Liberia and NIAID, a vaccine trial was implemented in February 2015, a treatment trial was implemented in March 2015, and a cohort study of survivors of Ebola and their close contacts was implemented in June 2015. These were the first three studies conducted by the Partnership for Research on Ebola Virus in Liberia (PREVAIL).
Several additional PREVAIL studies have been designed, and many are still ongoing. Collaborations have expanded beyond Liberia to include Guinea, Sierra Leone and Mali. The experience of CCBR staff with PREVAIL has also led to collaboration on a treatment trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Further reading:
