VL-INNO is a three-year project that embraces the use of innovation in diagnosis and discovery of new safe oral drugs to tackle current treatment challenges for visceral leishmaniasis in Eastern Africa. Current visceral leishmaniasis treatments in the region consist of painful injections that are costly, taken over a long period of time, and can be toxic. DNDi has been working with partners to improve the safety and efficacy of the treatments that can be used by both children and adults and can be integrated in primary healthcare.

The VL-INNO project aims to:

• Develop new oral efficacious and safe treatments for visceral leishmaniasis in eastern Africa in combination with the use of biomarkers to assess and predict treatment response
• Improve parasitological diagnosis and remote quality control using digital technologies
• Develop an antigen detection rapid diagnostic test

The VL-INNO consortium that will implement the project is comprised of leading universities and research institutions from eastern Africa, European research institutions with a strong track record in field-based research, well-respected not-for-profit product development partnerships specialized in R&D for neglected diseases and innovative small and medium enterprises.

The consortium is not only R&D focused but intends to create exchange platforms geared towards a test and treat integrated approach, owned and led by affected endemic countries.