PANTHER (the PANdemic preparedness plaTform for Health and Emerging infectious Response), developed out of the lessons learned and experience gained during the COVID-19 pandemic and the ANTICOV trial. 

Launched in late 2022, PANTHER aims to contribute to the control of future epidemics or pandemics on the African continent through a flexible ‘ready-to-use’ clinical research platform, supporting preparedness and rapid response through the development and assessment of adapted tools, starting with therapeutics and vaccines in Africa. PANTHER will prepare and provide human, technical, and scientific expertise on emerging infectious diseases through a network of equipped and experienced African research centres with healthcare sites in key population centres and more remote locations. African leadership will ensure alignment at the political and strategic level. 

PANTHER’s founding members are leading African scientific groups (CVD-Mali, FCRM, IRBD, and KEMRI) along with ANRS, BNITM, DNDi, ISGlobal, and ITM. DNDi incubated the platform during its start-up phase by providing infrastructure support, expertise, and seed funding.