Given the breadth of vector control-related literature, we are unable to include all relevant work. These updates are intended to focus primarily on Anopheles biology and a subset of control topics with global relevance. Any views expressed in the updates do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IVCC. In many cases, we directly quote sections of published work. Mention of trade names or commercial products is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by IVCC or its funders.

Given the breadth of vector control-related literature, we are unable to include all relevant work. These updates are intended to focus primarily on Anopheles biology and a subset of control topics with global relevance. Any views expressed in the updates do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IVCC. In many cases, we directly quote sections of published work. Mention of trade names or commercial products is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by IVCC or its funders.

Given the breadth of vector control-related literature, we are unable to include all relevant work. These updates are intended to focus primarily on Anopheles biology and a subset of control topics with global relevance. Any views expressed in the updates do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IVCC. In many cases, we directly quote sections of published work. Mention of trade names or commercial products is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by IVCC or its funders.

IVCC has great pleasure in announcing that the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques (CSRS) trials facility has been granted Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) certification by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) in June 2023.

Based in the economic capital of Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan, the CSRS facility is a longstanding collaborating partner of IVCC. CSRS help IVCC and our industry partners to evaluate new malaria vector control products by conducting studies against local resistant mosquito populations in the environments where they will actually be used. They have also generated product efficacy data for manufacturers for regulatory submissions, including WHO Prequalification Unit Vector Control Product Assessment Team (PQT/VCP) dossier submissions.

IVCC has supported the CSRS trials facility towards GLP certification with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This included support for the essential infrastructure improvements and equipment purchases necessary for full GLP compliance. Pictured is CSRS’s new field trials facility, built at their experimental hut site in Tiassalé. In addition to this, training was provided to key facility staff through participation in GLP workshops and specialist courses. IVCC’s support has also helped further strengthen the capacity for malaria vector control research at CSRS.

Professor Benjamin Koudou, CSRS Director of Research and Development, said: “This tremendous achievement by the team will be key for CSRS visibility within Côte d’Ivoire and abroad. The GLP certification of our facility will help further build the trust that companies, malaria control implementation programmes and other organisations have in our research. We anticipate that this will increase the demand at CSRS for conducting laboratory and field trials in conjunction with the control of malaria and neglected tropical diseases. We are planning now to implement the same quality management facility in our molecular biology laboratory.”

IVCC congratulates Professor Inza Koné (test facility manager), Professor Koudou, Dr Edi Constant (Coordinator of GLP facility), Lisro Emmanuelle (CSRS quality manager), Laurence Yao (GLP Project manager), and all the facility staff on this significant achievement.

To mark World Malaria Day 2023, Malaria No More UK, Conservative Home and the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), brought together scientists, MPs, Peers, supporters, and campaigners to highlight the importance of working together to end malaria.

IVCC attended an evening reception, hosted by Baroness Liz Sugg at the House of Lords. During the event, Louise Marston, an early career researcher affiliated with Target Malaria, highlighted the importance of innovation, along with research and development to end malaria. Peter Sands, Executive Director of The Global Fund, spoke about the growing challenges facing malaria eradication: including climate change and conflict. He stressed the importance of continued commitment to accelerate the progress toward zero malaria. To close, attendees heard from Olympic medallist and malaria survivor, Anyika Onuora, who described her experience of falling ill with malaria ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics and the importance of continued investment to end malaria.

You can read more about the event and its participants in this Twitter thread by APPG on Malaria and NTDs.

Earlier in the day, IVCC CEO, Justin McBeath joined Andrew Mitchell (MP), Minister of State for Development and Africa for the United Kingdom, at a roundtable event, hosted by Malaria No More UK and Conservative Home.

The event raised the profile of Product Development Partnerships (PDPs) and their critical role in driving public-private partnerships to develop new health products for malaria elimination. David Reddy, CEO of Medicines of Malaria Venture (MMV) and Fiona Smith-Laittan, VP Global Health at GSK, also attended the event, along with United Kingdom government representatives such as James Sunderland MP, member of the APPG on Malaria and NTDs and Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Home Secretary and Baroness Liz Sugg.

Image: Members of UK Parliament and House of Lords stand with (L to R), Baroness Lizz Sugg, Anyika Onuora, Louise Marston and Peter Sands. Credit: Malaria No More UK / Freya Turner.