Dr Peter Olupot-Olupot
Uganda
EDCTP portfolio: Senior Fellowships
index
Dr Peter Olupot-Olupot is aiming to increase the capacity of Uganda to undertake clinical research in malaria, including clinical trials.
Building malaria research capacity in Uganda
Malaria is a major public health problem in Uganda. Uganda has the sixth highest number of malaria deaths in Africa, with 16 million cases reported in 2013 and more than 10,000 deaths annually.
Even so, capacity to carry out research on malaria lags behind that of other infections such as HIV. In particular, Uganda hosts relatively few clinical trials in malaria. Malaria trials that do take place in Uganda are generally originated and led from elsewhere, with limited input from local researchers.
The challenge
Dr Peter Olupot-Olupot is a paediatric infectious disease specialist with extensive experience in clinical research. He founded the Mbale Regional Referral Hospital Clinical Research Unit, and is the local lead for a range of paediatric studies run by the Wellcome–KEMRI Research Programme in Kenya.
Dr Olupot-Olupot has a particular interest in malaria research, and is using his EDCTP fellowship to develop his own skills in this area and to enhance the research capacity of the Mbale clinical research unit. His personal development is focusing on epidemiology, pathophysiology and the conduct of phase II and II trials. Building these skills will enable him to carry out studies on local malaria epidemiology, and on the epidemiology and pathophysiology of acute kidney injury in severe malaria in children, and to undertake a clinical trial on the feasibility of paracetamol use to address acute kidney injury in severe malaria.
In addition, he will use these studies as a platform for training and mentoring of two master’s students, expanding expertise in malaria and clinical trials.
The project
As well as generating new insights into malaria in east Uganda and on the mechanisms of kidney damage in severe malaria, Dr Olupot-Olupot’s fellowship will enable him to play a more active role in the development of clinical research relevant to malaria in Uganda, and to build clinical malaria research capacity in east Uganda.
Impact
“
test the safety and efficacy of this new formulation in young children
”
Bringing antiretroviral drugs to children
The CHAPAS trials have ensured that many more children with HIV have benefited
from life-saving antiretrovirals.
EDCTP portfolio: HIV & HIV-associated infections
The challenge
Malaria is a major public health problem in Uganda. Uganda has the sixth highest number of malaria deaths in Africa, with 16 million cases reported in 2013 and more than 10,000 deaths annually.
Even so, capacity to carry out research on malaria lags behind that of other infections such as HIV. In particular, Uganda hosts relatively few clinical trials in malaria. Malaria trials that do take place in Uganda are generally originated and led from elsewhere, with limited input from local researchers.
Dr Peter Olupot-Olupot is a paediatric infectious disease specialist with extensive experience in clinical research. He founded the Mbale Regional Referral Hospital Clinical Research Unit, and is the local lead for a range of paediatric studies run by the Wellcome–KEMRI Research Programme in Kenya.
Dr Olupot-Olupot has a particular interest in malaria research, and is using his EDCTP fellowship to develop his own skills in this area and to enhance the research capacity of the Mbale clinical research unit. His personal development is focusing on epidemiology, pathophysiology and the conduct of phase II and II trials. Building these skills will enable him to carry out studies on local malaria epidemiology, and on the epidemiology and pathophysiology of acute kidney injury in severe malaria in children, and to undertake a clinical trial on the feasibility of paracetamol use to address acute kidney injury in severe malaria.
In addition, he will use these studies as a platform for training and mentoring of two master’s students, expanding expertise in malaria and clinical trials.
The project
The later CHAPAS-3 trial compared the efficacy and safety of three fixed-dose combinations including two without stavudine (found to have some long-term side effects in adults, leading to a recommendation that its use be discontinued in children). The trial the first of its kind in Africa studied nearly 500 children at four sites in two African countries.
As well as generating new insights into malaria in east Uganda and on the mechanisms of kidney damage in severe malaria, Dr Olupot-Olupot’s fellowship will enable him to play a more active role in the development of clinical research relevant to malaria in Uganda, and to build clinical malaria research capacity in east Uganda.
ratios forfixed-dose combinations and on appropriatedosage according to weight.
The CHAPAS-3 trial confirmed the effectiveness of fixed-dose combinations, providing further impetus to the rollout of antiretrovirals to children. Its evidence on abacavir informed the WHO recommendation of abacavir-containing combinations for first-line therapy in children. Trial data have also been used to support applications for regulatory approval for new scored efavirenz tablets.
Impact
L’homme RF et al. Nevirapine, stavudine and lamivudine pharmacokinetics in African children on paediatric fixed-dose combination tablets. AIDS. 2008;22(5):557–65.
Mulenga V et al. Abacavir, zidovudine, or stavudine as paediatric tablets for African HIVinfected children (CHAPAS-3): an open-label, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2016;16(2):169–79.
WHO. Guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection: recommendations for a public health approach. 2010.
WHO. Consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs
for treating and preventing
HIV infection: Recommendations for a public health approach
(second edition). 2016
Projects: Children with HIV in Africa Pharmacokinetics and Adherence of Simple Antiretroviral Regimens (CHAPAS): CHAPAS-1 and -3
Project lead: Professor Chifumbe Chintu, University Teaching Hospital, Zambia (CHAPAS-1); Dr Veronica Mulenga, University Teaching Hospital, Zambia (CHAPAS-3)
Target population(s): Children with HIV
Sample size: 71 (CHAPAS-1); 480 (CHAPAS-3)
Countries involved: Ireland, the Netherlands, the UK, the USA, Zambia (CHAPAS-1); Uganda, Zambia (CHAPAS-3)
Project duration: 2005–2009 (CHAPAS-1); 2010 –2011 (CHAPAS-3)
EDCTP funding: €1.2M (CHAPAS-1); €4.6M (CHAPAS-3)
Total project funding: €1.2M (CHAPAS-1); €5.0M