Research Roundup: Emerging bat-borne virus, Male contraceptive gel deal, Bird flu nasal spray vaccine trial

Women are steadily reshaping the landscape of global health research. In 2022, they made up 41 percent of researchers worldwide, representing considerable progress toward closing the gender gap in science. Yet women remain underrepresented in many scientific fields and in senior roles, are published and cited less frequently than men, and file far fewer patent applications. Despite these systemic barriers, women researchers are having an outsized impact on global policy and progress. Research led by women is more likely to address topics aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, and publications with women authors are more frequently cited in policy documents.  Expanding women’s participation and leadership in science is not just a matter of equity, it is essential to ensuring research priorities reflect women’s lived experiences. Although women spend more of their lives in poor health than men, only 1 percent of global health research and development funding targets female-specific conditions beyond cancer. Even as gaps persist, women scientists are already at the forefront of innovation, driving cutting-edge technologies that could transform the future of global health. Advancing promising HIV vaccine strategies Developing an HIV vaccine capable of preventing infection has long challenged researchers due to the virus’s extraordinary ability to mutate and evade the immune system. Still, many experts believe such a vaccine will be essential to ending the global pandemic.A Phase 1 trial, launched in August of last year, is evaluating an investigational HIV vaccine candidate designed to induce an immune response scientists believe could effectively target vulnerable parts of HIV-infected cells. Three distinguished female principal investigators—Dr. Tariro Makadzange of the Mutala Trust, Dr. Theodorah Rirhandzu Ndzhukule of the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, and Dr. Limakatso Lebina of the Africa Health Research Institute—are overseeing the study across clinical trial sites in Harare, Zimbabwe; Cape Town, South Africa; and Durban, South Africa, respectively.  Another Phase 1 trial, launched just last month, is testing a different novel approach. Researchers are evaluating whether highly specialized vaccine immunogens, delivered in a specific sequence, can train the immune system to produce broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV, widely considered one of the keys to achieving broad protection against the virus. The trial is led by Dr. Linda-Gail Bekker, CEO of the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation and a leading HIV clinician-scientist. These vaccines have the potential to transform the lives of women and girls, who bear a disproportionate burden of HIV and AIDS, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The leadership of these scientists underscores how women researchers are driving forward breakthroughs that address urgent global health needs. Trialing promising TB vaccine candidates New tuberculosis (TB) vaccine candidates also hold promise for reshaping global TB efforts, particularly as rising drug resistance makes the disease harder to fight. The only currently approved TB vaccine is more than 100 years old and is effective at preventing some forms of TB in infants but offers limited protection against pulmonary TB in adults.  One next-generation vaccine candidate, MTBVAC, was co-designed by Dr. Brigitte Gicquel of the Institut Pasteur, who is a pioneer in TB research. MTBVAC is the only live-attenuated candidate in the pipeline, meaning it contains a weakened form of the bacteria that causes TB, and aims to offer more effective, longer-lasting protection for newborns while also preventing TB disease in adolescents and adults, for whom no effective vaccine exists.In a Phase 1a/2b trial published last year, MTBVAC was found to be safe and capable of generating immune responses comparable to or stronger than the current TB vaccine. The study was led by Dr. Angelique Luabeya of the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative, who has considerable experience leading novel TB and COVID-19 vaccine trials. MTBVAC is now being evaluated in a Phase 2 trial in people living with HIV, co-chaired by the aforementioned Dr. Limakatso Lebina. Another leading vaccine candidate, M72/AS01E, is currently undergoing a large Phase 3 trial to determine whether it can protect adolescents and adults from pulmonary TB. Dr. Lee Fairlie of Wits RHI at the University of the Witwatersrand, an infectious disease expert with extensive experience leading major clinical studies, is serving as national principal investigator for the trial in South Africa. These vaccine candidates could dramatically alter the trajectory of the global TB epidemic, reflecting the critical contributions of women researchers in advancing solutions to one of the world’s oldest and deadliest infectious diseases. Driving forward antimalarial drugs for a long-excluded group Last fall, a global consortium launched the first-ever Phase 2 adaptive platform trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of antimalarial drugs during the first trimester of pregnancy. This landmark study addresses a long-standing gap in safe and effective evidence-based treatment options for pregnant women at risk of malaria. Pregnant women, particularly those in early pregnancy, have historically been excluded from clinical trials, leaving major unanswered questions about how best to treat malaria and other conditions in this high-risk group.  Among the study’s co-principal investigators are Dr. Myriam El Gaaloul from the Medicines for Malaria Venture, Dr. Stephanie Dellicour from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and Dr. Hellen Barsosio of the Centre for Global Health Research at the Kenya Medical Research Institute, who bring deep expertise in clinical trials, malaria, and maternal and newborn health. This trial has the potential to not only reshape care for pregnant women at risk of malaria but also set a powerful precedent for more inclusive research. It illustrates how greater gender diversity in research leadership can help ensure studies prioritize and better reflect the needs of the people they aim to serve. Across the global health innovation pipeline, women scientists are driving transformative progress. Accelerating gender diversity across research teams, investing in early-career women researchers, and strengthening pathways to leadership will advance gender equity while ensuring that scientific breakthroughs are more inclusive, accessible, and reflective of the needs of all people. 

Sino Biological, Inc. recently announced an effort to accelerate the development of critical research tools to support the global scientific community in advancing Nipah virus research, as new cases of the deadly pathogen have raised international concerns. Sino Biological has launched a series of proteins, which researchers can use in the lab to better understand how the virus infects cells and how to design antibodies that might successfully target the virus. These proteins are based on the currently circulating Nipah virus strains, so could help boost the accuracy and relevance of research efforts. There are currently no approved vaccines or specific antiviral treatments for Nipah, underscoring the importance and urgency of research and development efforts to advance vaccines and therapies. Newly shared results from the first blinded, randomized non-inferiority trial comparing one versus two doses of HPV vaccine show that a single dose provided similar protection to the two-dose schedule. These results verify a previous study, which undergirded the World Health Organization’s 2022 recommendation of the lower-dose regimen, which has since led to its adoption by almost 90 countries. The lower-dose regimen can help boost access and uptake of the HPV vaccine by reducing the cost and complexity of vaccination for public vaccine procurers, health care providers, and patients. Specifically, the researchers found that a single dose was 97 percent effective against HPV infections in a large study with 20,000 participants, who were studied for up to five years post-vaccination. Last week, the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) announced a new memorandum of understanding with the African Population and Health Research Center aimed at helping translate African-led research into transformative innovations and health policies. Specifically, the agreement involves coordination to promote joint research, advance evidence-based programming and policymaking, and facilitate capacity-building. The memorandum also outlines collaborative commitments to ethical, value-enhancing data-sharing activities, including generating high-quality evidence and creating a robust system to preserve and share findings.