EDCTP: Diagnostic tools for poverty-related disease, Oct 2018

Disease diagnosis in sub-Saharan Africa is highly challenging, as the population has limited access to health care systems. Early and rapid diagnosis of poverty-related diseases (PRDs) offers the best opportunity for patients to receive timely and appropriate treatment, but adequate diagnostic tools are not readily available because of a lack of drive to develop and deploy them in disease-endemic countries. In addition, co-infections with several pathogens are frequent in many populations and represent further challenges in the diagnosis of many PRDs. There is therefore a clear need for the development and uptake of rapid, accurate, cost-effective, scalable and field-friendly diagnostic tools.

Projects should focus on validation of the clinical performance and/or implementation of new or improved diagnostic tools and technologies for the detection of any of the PRDs*, including co-infections. The proposed tools and technologies should improve the performance of diagnosis, prediction, monitoring, intervention or assessment of therapeutic response, with a significant impact on clinical decision and health outcomes. Proposals should focus on late stage development (e.g. evaluation and/or demonstration phase trials) or implementation studies in sub-Saharan Africa. Diagnostic algorithms to detect multiple infections are also welcome. Additionally, proposals should provide detailed plans for the uptake of the diagnostic tools and technologies upon successful completion of the project, including engagement with WHO or other relevant policy makers as well as plans for product registration (i.e. CE mark).

Proposals focused entirely on early-stage, laboratory-based studies using biobanked samples are outside the scope of this call. Priority will be given to point-of-care diagnostics for use in resource-limited settings.

EDCTP considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EDCTP2 of between EUR 1 and 3 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

EDCTP considers that proposals of between 24 and 48 months duration would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals for activities of a different duration.

For the full call text please visit the EDCTP grant call webpage.