Emavundleni Vaccine Centre

HIV continues to decimate our people. Much more needs to be done to improve the treatment and care of those living with the virus. The DTHF are proud to be innovators and international partners in developing knowledge and new interventions. The Emavundleni Vaccine Centre in Cross Roads, Nyanga has been designed specifically as a place where new biomedical technologies can be tested to international standard among well informed and educated healthy volunteers.

The Centre is an internationally recognised site for HIV prevention trials including vaccines, microbicides, STI vaccines and pre-exposure prophylaxis. Several such trials have been carried out and follow up on these is in progress. Partnerships are a strength of the DTHF and we are pleased to partner with a number of international networks and agencies in the search for an effective, accessible HIV prevention modality.

Emavundleni is one of seven national sites selected for the SASHA study. The Centre also offers voluntary counseling and testing services to the community, in addition to testing for STDs, TB and blood sugar levels.

It is our practice always to refer patients to other health services available should they require treatment outside the services offered by the DTHF.

Current studies

1. Started 1 phase I HIV vaccine trial in second quarter of 2011.

2. Started PrEP study: ADAPT in 3rd quarter of 2011. Emavundleni is one of 2 sites conducting

this study, the second site is in Bangkok, Thailand.

3. Started the follow-on study of SASHA; following the SASHA participants for an additional

9 months.

Future studies

1. Preparing for 2 more phase I HIV vaccine trials.

2. Preparing for phase III microbicide trial – expected to start 1st quarter of 2012.

3. Preparing for adolescent TB vaccine trial – expected to start first quarter of 2012.

Projectleader: Dr. Surita Roux