What We Do
For over 30 years, we have led the effort to permanently protect millions of people from river blindness. We have been at the forefront of nearly every major vaccine development effort.
Our Mission
The TOVA Initiative traces its origins to initial support of more than $20 million during the 1980s and 1990s from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, as well as continued support from the European Union to develop molecular reagents, preclinical (laboratory animal) models, understand the effects of infection on the host immunity, and identify key protective antigens across several laboratories in the US, Europe, and Africa. Ultimately, more than a dozen candidate vaccine antigens were identified. Subsequently, these activities continued with the support from NIAID/NIH, together with the European Union (through its Directorate-General for Research and Innovation).
Based on past research, there are compelling reasons to believe that an onchocerciasis vaccine may be an effective tool. To date, three candidate antigens have proven to be efficacious in three different filarial animal model systems and in three independent laboratories. Recently published studies have also shown the feasibility of eliciting significant protective immunity in various strains of mice using co-administration to two vaccine antigens, and that such protection can be transferred to naïve mice using sera from protected animals.
Modeling studies have shown that an onchocerciasis vaccine could have substantial impact in a range of endemicity settings, and when used as a preventive vaccine, could markedly reduce host microfilariae loads (the transmitting stage of the parasite) in children and adolescents.
The TOVA Initiative is now establishing a roadmap for developing a vaccine with plans to take at least one candidate forward to phase two trials (proof-of-concept trial for efficacy) in the next years. Indeed, The TOVA Initiative is poised to lead on the development of this important new tool to aid in the elimination of onchocerciasis.
“The Onchocerciasis Vaccine for Africa Initiative (TOVA) is an exceptionally successful collaborative partnership between 15 academic institutions across Africa, Europe, and the United States with a collective mission to advance a vaccine against infection with Onchocerca volvulus to a first-in-human trial by 2025. I am very proud of being part of it; none of the institutions would have been able to do it on their own, it took a decidedly committed research community with different expertise to get where we are today.”
— Dr. Sara Lustigman, Member of the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute (New York Blood Center)
What We Are Doing
Large scale production of the vaccines in compliance with Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations. Supporting actions will include statutory toxicity testing (this provides a stop-go point for vaccine selection) and development of vaccine-specific immunological tests to monitor responses in vaccinated individuals.
First-in-human safety trials. This work will be done in two stages: (1) A phase 1 trial in non-exposed individuals, and (2) phase 1b trials in exposed individuals. Each provides a stop-go point for vaccine selection.
Assessment of immune responses in primary target cohorts. Immunological profiling of pre-school children to define responses to vaccine candidates in populations living in onchocerciasis-only endemic regions of Ghana, and second, children living in onchocerciasis and loiasis co-endemic areas of Cameroon. This work will provide input to mathematical modelling of potential vaccine efficacy and design of control programmes.
Investigation of social and cultural attitudes towards vaccination for the purpose of assessing the feasibility and impact of control programmes using the vaccine.
Statistical analyses and monitoring of all research outputs and modelling of vaccine efficacy and predicted impact on disease control.