Advancing pharmaceutical R&D for Chagas disease through stakeholder partnerships in endemic countries
Founded: 2009
The Chagas Disease Clinical Research Platform brings together partners, experts, and stakeholders to support the evaluation and development of new treatments for Chagas disease that are centred on patients’ needs. With 508 members from over 150 institutions and 24 countries, the Platform advances medical innovation for Chagas by facilitating clinical research, providing a forum for technical discussions, connecting researchers with patient groups, helping to develop a critical mass of expertise, and strengthening institutional research capacities. Platform members work together to identify and review priority needs, standardize methodologies to assess drug efficacy, and review alternatives to currently approved drugs – including new treatment dosages, combinations, and uses in special scenarios, such as to counter treatment resistance.
Previous newsletters
Newsletter n°13, September 2023
English Español Português
Newsletter n°12, September 2022
English Español Português
Newsletter n°11, September 2021
English Español Português
Newsletter n°10, August 2020
English Español Português
Newsletter n°9, July 2019
English Español Português
Newsletter n°8, July 2018
English Español Português
Newsletter n°7, May 2017
English Español Português
Newsletter n°6, May 2016
English Español
Newsletter n°5, April 2016
Español
Newsletter n°4, January 2015
Español
Newsletter n°3, April 2013
Español
Platform updates
2023
- 290 people trained for clinical trials, treatment access, and treatment for people with immunosuppression.
- Workshops held on key topics, including paediatric treatments, PCR testing in clinical trials, and Chagas disease and immunosuppression.
- Implemented new web forum tool to consolidate platform of 467 members actively engaged in information and knowledge sharing.
- Facilitated capacity-strengthening events in collaboration with Brazilian civil society organizations and patient groups.
- Collaborated with non-governmental stakeholders, including NHEPACHA, FIND, and Fiocruz on biobanking initiatives, cohort studies, patient-friendly communication, and potential collaborations.
- Represented the Chagas Platform at conferences and meetings, including MEDTROP and ASTMH.
2022
- 272 people trained for clinical trials.
- 136 people trained for communication, advocacy, and finance.
- Attended the 10th Meeting of the Chagas Platform in Bogotá, Colombia, and signed the Bogotá manifesto setting out priorities for action and intensified efforts to eliminate Chagas disease as a public health problem.
- Supported satellite meetings with the NHEPACHA network and the World Heart Federation, a technical meeting on shorter benznidazole treatment regimens, and an online regional seminar on ethical issues in Phase I studies.
- Supported the annual meeting of the Brazilian Social Forum Against Neglected and Infectious Diseases.
2021
- 26 people trained for clinical trials.
- 61 people trained in communication, advocacy, and finance.
- Supported a virtual workshop on the validation of rapid tests for Chagas disease, a scientific workshop on sampling in Chagas disease clinical trials, a workshop on communicating with Chagas disease patient groups, and a workshop on congenital Chagas disease.
- Supported the NuestroBen 2020 Investigators’ Meeting, including pharmacovigilance training.
2020
- 5 active clinical sites.
- Held three meetings (online due to the COVID-19 pandemic) including:
- Chagas Platform Meeting with over 300 participants and 14 speakers
- Meeting on the management of clinical trials for Chagas disease and leishmaniasis during the pandemic
- Meeting on the implications of COVID-19 for Chagas disease, resulting in the formation of a working group on Chagas disease and COVID-19 infection, and the publication of an article setting out preliminary treatment recommendations.
- Supported the online meeting of the Brazilian Social Forum Against Neglected and Infectious Diseases, as part of the Platform’s patient-centred approach.
2019
- Two target product profiles initiated for special populations: children and people with suppressed immune systems
- Development of a data-sharing platform with IDDO to collect and standardize clinical research data. This initiative will avoid duplication and contribute to accelerate development of better treatments
- A workshop was organized in Argentina to streamline decision-making when evaluating therapeutic response in chronic Chagas disease
2018
- 95 members defined research priorities for the coming years and signed the Santa Cruz Letter, calling on governments, organizations, and donors to step up their efforts to control and eliminate Chagas as a public health problem.
- 8 active clinical trial sites:
- 3 in Bolivia for the Phase II proof-of-concept BENDITA trial (to assess safety and tolerability of benznidazole with reduced doses and shorter treatment duration, and in combination with fosravuconazole)
- 5 in Spain for the Phase II proof-of-concept study of fexinidazole.
- 117 people trained at 10 meetings, workshops, and seminars in Bolivia, Brazil, and the US: in ethics, Good Clinical Practice and Good Clinical Laboratory Practice for clinical trials, and in treatment access, communications, fundraising, advocacy, and finance.
- Supported the publication of the Brazilian Clinical Protocols and Treatment Guidelines for Chagas Disease and PAHO’s 2018 publication of regional guidelines for Chagas disease.
2017
- 7 clinical trial sites were active: 3 in Bolivia for the Phase II proof-of-concept BENDITA trial (to assess safety and tolerability of benznidazole with reduced doses and treatment duration, and in combination with fosravuconazole) and 4 in Spain for the Phase II proof-of-concept study of fexinidazole to treat Chagas.
- 161 people trained at 4 workshops/technical meetings in Colombia, Brazil, and the US.
- Discussions promoted by the Chagas Platform in Brazil are supporting the ongoing changes of the Brazilian national guidelines for the treatment of Chagas disease.
2016
- Three clinical trial sites were active in Bolivia to support the Phase II proofof- concept BENDITA trial (benznidazole new doses improved treatment and associations).
- At the Chagas Platform Annual Meeting, about 270 people were trained on key areas, including: qPCR validation and quality control for diagnosis and monitoring, discovery of new drugs, congenital Chagas disease, civil society movements, new research fields and guidelines for Chagas disease, new landscape for chronic patients, integrative therapy approach.
2015
- The number of CCRP members grew by 23%; about 40% of new members came from non-endemic countries.
- The annual Chagas Clinical Research Platform meeting took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the context of National Chagas Week, with 230 attendees from, among others, national programmes, patient associations, research associations, research and clinical care centres, NGOs and pharmaceutical companies.
