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A look back at the 2023 UNITE4TB Annual Consortium Meeting and Symposium

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Collaboration is the most effective solution for innovation. This is certainly true in the case of large public-private partnerships like UNITE4TB. To leverage the strength of all parties involved, a spirit of collaboration needs to be nurtured. This is exactly what the three days of intense discussions at the 2023 UNITE4TB Annual Meeting and Symposium sought to achieve.

Members of the UNITE4TB Consortium at the 2023 Annual Meeting

During the last week of April, more than 120 UNITE4TB Consortium members and key external stakeholders gathered in Nijmegen, the oldest town in the Netherlands, to discuss the overall status of the project, the achievements made over the last year, and the plans for the future. We take a moment to look back at some of the highlights...

Annual Consortium Meeting

The week started with a two-day Annual Consortium Meeting on 24 and 25 April. Hosted by project partner, Radboudumc, the meeting provided an opportunity for the UNITE4TB partners to share important updates and upcoming activities – providing a solid overview of the current status of the project.

In addition to the 12 Work Package presentations, talks were given by our Scientific Advisory Board, Ethics Advisory Board, and Young Investigators Group. There were also dedicated plenary sessions on topics such as the engagement of policymakers and funders, and the progress of the UNITE4TB Phase 2B/C clinical trials.

Allowing time for smaller group discussions, the agenda included four break-out sessions on the UNITE4TB regimen development, community involvement within the project, the Phase 2A clinical trial design, and the importance of getting the UNITE4TB message out there.

Summarizing the key achievements of the last year, Martin Boeree, UNITE4TB project coordinator from Radboudumc, said: “We have developed a Phase 2B/C protocol – fully reviewed and approved. Several clinical trial sites have been selected and the UNITE4TB family has been expanded with new trial staff. These are all fantastic achievements. We are now officially firing up our engines in the race to develop a new TB treatment regimen!”

UNITE4TB will start its clinical trials later this year, testing at least 11 combinations of eight different drugs. Sponsors have been selected and 25 study sites identified in 12 countries on four continents. The trials will involve more than 1,000 participants and will be supported by close collaboration with local communities, the WHO, and other key stakeholders. Together, we are embarking on a ground-breaking journey to find a novel TB treatment regimen, contributing to global efforts to see a world free of TB.

UNITE4TB project coordinator, Martin Boeree (Radboudumc), opening the 2023 Annual Consortium Meeting
Key statements coming out of the Annual Meeting discussions:
 
  • We can’t embark on resource-intensive and expensive clinical trials without considering the need for rapid and equitable access to new innovations 
  • Clinical trials done in synergy will be far more effective than those done in isolation
  • Collaboration with important external stakeholders is an added value for UNITE4TB and a key to its success
  • Community engagement is a journey and the local communities where we will be conducting our clinical trials need to be part of the conversation from the start. We need to invest in their capacity to understand the work of UNITE4TB to ensure they are partners in the whole process. Meaningful engagement is a win-win for all as better understanding means better buy-in and better treatment adherence
  • The sustainability and continuation of research and development of new TB regimens beyond the UNITE4TB project lifetime is a top priority – this means securing funding for Phase 3 clinical trials

UNITE4TB Symposium

The 2023 UNITE4TB Symposium, a side event of the Annual Meeting, was held on Wednesday 26 April. The event was opened by Prof. Dr. Jan Smit, Dean of Radboudumc, and featured several high-level external speakers including Matteo Zignol of the World Health Organization, Charles Wells of the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute, and Andy Vernon of the National Institutes of Health.  

The full-day event was divided into two plenary sessions and included three workshops on Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence, Digital Adherence Technology, and Public and Community Engagement.

The afternoon panel discussion, made up of three round-table sessions, addressed topics such as access and pricing of new TB drugs and the engagement of National TB Programs in the uptake of new treatments. 

Participants of the first round-table discussion on access and pricing of new TB drugs. L-R: Christoph Lange (Research Center Borstel), Matteo Zignol (WHO), Cherise Scott (UNITAID), Brenda Waning (Global Drug Facility) & Mel Spigelman (TB Alliance)
The final round-table session of the Symposium addressed the importance of cross-consortia collaboration. L-R: Andy Vernon (NIH), Charles Wells (Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute), Norbert Heinrich (LMU), and Simon Tiberi (GSK)
Key quotes from the Symposium panel discussion:


Session 1: Access and pricing of the new TB drugs
Chairs: Christoph Lange (FZB) & Mel Spigelman (TB Alliance)
Participants: Matteo Zignol (WHO), Cherise Scott (UNITAID), and Brenda Waning (Global Drug Facility)

Session 2: Engagement of National TB Programs in the uptake of new drugs
Chair: Mario Raviglione (University of Milan)
Participants: Dr. Yogan Pillay (Clinton Health Access Initiative, South Africa), Razia Fatima (Pakistan National TB program), and Pedro G. Suarez (MSH)

Session 3: Coordination with other Consortia
Chairs: Norbert Heinrich (LMU) & Simon Tiberi (GSK)
Participants: Andy Vernon (NIH) and Charles Wells (Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute)

Wrapping up the Symposium and reaffirming the ambitions of UNITE4TB, our project coordinator and meeting host, Martin Boeree said: “We are part of a global movement to revolutionize the way TB treatments are delivered. The UNITE4TB partnership aims to be at the forefront of developing and providing better TB treatments for those in need. We want to improve the process by which we develop these drugs – setting a new standard, progressing science, and speeding up the drug development process.

“It has been an amazing three days at the 2023 UNITE4TB Annual Meeting and Symposium. We’ve heard great science and discussed many important aspects of our work. But most importantly, we have gathered together to strengthen our spirit of collaboration. An exciting third year of the project lies ahead and I look forward to coming together again next year to discuss our achievements and plans.”

View a larger selection of images from the event

Take a look at our post-event video below.

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