The project
Severe Neonatal Infection Adaptive Platform Trials in Africa (SNIP-AFRICA) is a 5-year project (2023-2028) that aims to reduce mortality among neonates in hospital with sepsis in Africa.
To better treat neonatal sepsis in the face of rising antimicrobial resistance, SNIP-AFRICA seeks to develop a clinical research platform for the implementation of adaptive trials in sub-Saharan Africa.
SNIP-AFRICA will conduct a trial, which will enrol 1,200 neonates across neonatal units in Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. The trial will identify optimal treatment regimens and doses for difficult-to-treat infections and sepsis.
Objectives:
SNIP-AFRICA sets out to:
- Build a sustainable platform with a proper structure for implementing adaptive trials for severe childhood infections, involving countries from the global South and North
- Implement an adaptive trial to determine (or confirm) the best antibiotic treatment for babies with neonatal sepsis in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Conduct pharmacokinetic studies to determine the appropriate doses of antibiotics for newborns
- Collect data on how newborns with sepsis are currently treated in hospitals, how healthcare resources are used, and the spread of bacterial infections
- Provide training opportunities on innovative clinical trials and neonatal sepsis to researchers and clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Engage with community representatives, families, clinicians and regulators to ensure efficient and ethical implementation of the adaptive trials through the platform
Activities:
Impact:
SNIP-AFRICA expects to attain:
- Decreased mortality and illness rates, by improving the effectiveness of antibiotic treatments for neonatal sepsis
- Enhanced global availability of effective older antibiotics that are no longer patented
- Establishment of a network of hospitals capable of conducting future research relevant to local needs, addressing major infection threats to babies and children through a combination of surveillance and intervention studies
- Increased academic and operational capacity, especially among young and female researchers, to lead research initiatives originating from Africa
