The TCP for Research Preparedness in West Africa is co-lead by two organisations; the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and the Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia (MRCG). To achieve the goal of Advancing Research Capacity in West Africa (ARC-WA) they are working in close collaboration with countries across the region, national Public Health Institutes, supra-national Public Health agencies and many other stakeholders. For more information go to: https://www.arc-wa.org/ The Africa Centers for Disease Control & Prevention is a key partner for CEPI and closely involved in the Research Preparedness Program.
In-line with the overarching concept of the Research Preparedness Program the ARC-WA project is advancing clinical trial capacity for both routine trials and emergence evidence generation:
Track A: Clinical Trial Site Readiness for advanced-stage Lassa fever vaccine trials
The TCP is currently strengthening clinical trial capacity at six clinical trial sites across three countries with high burden of Lassa fever. In the near future sites will be able to conduct a GCP-compliant Phase 2b / Phase 3 Lassa fever vaccine trial.
Clinical trial sites which the TCP is currently strengthening capacity at include:
- Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owo in Ondo state, Nigeria
- Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital (AEFUTH), located in Abakaliki in Ebonyi state, Nigeria
- Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), located in Irrua in Edo state, Nigeria
- Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), located in Bauchi state, Nigeria
- Phebe Hospital located Bong Country, Liberia, in collaboration with University of North Carolina (UNC)
- Kenema General Hospital (KGH), located in Kenema, Sierra Leone
All capacity developed is built in a way that the clinical trial site can conduct trials on vaccines, therapeutics and studies on diagnostics for any indication. CEPI follows a site-centric approach ensuring local ownership and freedom of operation.
Track B: Emergency Evidence Generation Readiness
Apart from the capacity and capabilities which is strengthened as part of Track A and which will be leveraged for future outbreak response, the TCP is working with numerous partners to support countries across West Africa in preparing future evidence generation during epidemics or pandemics. Key partners for Track B include the country governments, the West African Health Organization, Africa CDC and several national public health institutes as well as regional public health agencies.
One of the key priorities of the first 12 months of the program in West Africa has been a comprehensive stakeholder engagement to learn about the gaps and needs of the clinical research ecosystem. Also, it was important to identify existing infrastructure and epidemic and pandemic preparedness plans that are already in place. The overarching goal of Track B is to provide meaningful support in order to optimize future emergency response.
The Technical Coordinating Partner (TCP) is co-led by two organizations:
 IVI (International Vaccine Institute): is a nonprofit International Organization established in 1997 as an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). With its headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, its mission is to discover, develop and deliver safe, effective and affordable vaccines for global public health.
 MRCG at LSHTM (Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine) is a leading research institute in West Africa focused on conducting innovative scientific research into infectious diseases and improving public health. MRCG collaborates across the region to address major health challenges, with a particular emphasis on tropical diseases, vaccine development, and maternal and child health in sub-Saharan Africa.
Additional partners include:
 IQVIA is supporting CEPI as a global service provider and provides technical expertise to CEPI's partners. IQVIA is a leading global provider of clinical research services, commercial insights and healthcare intelligence to the life sciences and healthcare industries and is dedicated to delivering actionable insights and accelerating innovations.
 Edes and Associates Consultants Limited: are a fiduciary agent onboarded to the Research Preparedness Program to build capacity in financial management at the sites. They are a consulting firm that offers specialized services in governance, public financial management, and development planning across Africa. The firm works with governments, NGOs, and international organizations to enhance institutional capacity, improve service delivery, and promote sustainable development through tailored advisory, research, and technical support.
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