Grand-Bassam: Workshop for EBO-PEP consortium partners to define the strategy for implementing the EBO-PEP clinical trial.

EBO-PEP is a consortium of partners whose goal is to expand the portfolio of therapeutic tools against VEM by evaluating a PPE strategy for high-risk contacts and to maintain a network for knowledge sharing and collaboration on PPE.

As part of the project, experts will work to set up a clinical trial in Africa to test the effectiveness of treatments used as PEP for high-risk contacts; strengthen the capacity of clinical researchers and increase the community’s knowledge regarding Ebola virus research; and define the best PEP strategy for high-risk contacts and advocate for the implementation of PEP in countries affected by Ebola virus disease.

For this collaborative workshop held at the Assoyam Hotel in Grand-Bassam from September 10–13, 2024, the various partners from France (INSERM (iPLesp, ANRS-MIE), University of Bordeaux, ALIMA, PANTHER), the DRC (INRB), Spain (ISGLOBAL), Belgium (Doctors Without Borders), Senegal (Cheick Anta Diop University), Côte d’Ivoire (PAC-CI Program), and Guinea (ANSS, CERFIG), to meet, finalize the protocol, and discuss the implementation of the EBO-PEP study.

Several presentations were given, followed by discussions on the clinical trial protocol and the activities of the various working groups. These working groups focus on overall project coordination, scientific coordination, the project preparation program, clinical trial management, health economics, community engagement, and the study’s acceptability among the target populations.

In addition, participants discussed key factors for the project’s success, including the governance of the EBO-PEP consortium, the governance of the EBO-PEP project, and the timeline to facilitate its implementation.

The next meetings were scheduled for September and December 2024 to finalize the protocol, establish the scientific advisory board and the independent monitoring committee, and submit the project proposal.

The participants parted ways, very satisfied with the results of the workshop, the atmosphere in which it took place, and—for some—the opportunity to discover Grand-Bassam, one of Côte d’Ivoire’s tourist gems.