The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) in collaboration with other stakeholders is set to conduct a 22 months research study on an antibody that reduces the risk of HIV-1 infection.
The study dubbed Antibody Mediation Prevention (AMP) will test a human antibody against HIV called VRC01which is a broadly neutralizing human monoclonal antibody against HIV.
AMP study will be conducted in 21 international clinical research sites across seven countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
KEMRI will work in collaboration with the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC), HIV Vaccines Trials Network (HVTN) and HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN).
Speaking during media stakeholders meeting at KEMRI Clinical Research Centre yesterday, AMP Coordinator in Kenya Dr. Dismas Oketch said the study aims at enrolling 1,500 women across all sites.
“In Kenya, this study will take place at the Kisumu Clinical Research site (CRS) located at the KEMRI Clinical Research Centre (CRC), within the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital compound,” Schnabel said.
“Approximately 72 women aged 18-40-years-old who are at high risk of HIV will participate in Kenya,” he added.
HPTN Coordinator David Schnabel said all study participants will be counseled on HIV prevention and offered Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) medications in order to help protect all study participants.
“We understand the sensitivity nature of the studies that involve women and infusion and have put in place very specific and careful measures to ensure safety, privacy rights and well being of the research volunteers are upheld,” Schnabel stated.
