Overview
ACT-CHIK (Accelerating Clinical Trials for CHIKungunya Vaccine in Africa) is a four-year, multinational research project that aims to accelerate the development, clinical evaluation, and future manufacturing of a chikungunya vaccine in Africa. The project is funded by the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme and runs from May 2026 to April 2030. It is coordinated by Institut Pasteur.
Project Goal
The overall goal of ACT-CHIK is to develop a safe and effective vaccine against chikungunya while strengthening Africa’s capacity to conduct vaccine clinical trials, manufacture vaccines, and support regulatory approval.
What the Project Will Do
ACT-CHIK will:
- Conduct a large Phase Ib/III clinical trial of the MV-CHIK vaccine in adults, adolescents, and children in selected African countries.
- Evaluate the vaccine’s safety and ability to generate protective immune responses.
- Generate evidence needed for vaccine licensure and future public health use.
- Prepare for technology transfer of the vaccine manufacturing process to Africa.
- Strengthen clinical trial infrastructure, regulatory systems, and research capacity across participating countries.
The MV-CHIK Vaccine
- MV-CHIK is a live-attenuated, recombinant vaccine that uses the well-established measles vaccine platform. It was developed by Institut Pasteur and has already completed six Phase I and II clinical trials involving more than 600 participants, demonstrating promising safety and immunogenicity results. ACT-CHIK will now evaluate the vaccine in larger African populations.
Participating Countries
The clinical trial will be conducted in:
- Rwanda
- Kenya
- Nigeria
- Senegal
Approximately 940 participants will be enrolled across these countries.
Consortium Partners
The consortium includes seven institutions from Africa, Europe, Asia, and South America:
- Institut Pasteur (Coordinator)
- University of Rwanda
- Kenya Medical Research Institute
- Institut Pasteur de Dakar
- Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
- International Vaccine Institute
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz)
Expected Impact
ACT-CHIK will:
- Advance the first large-scale clinical evaluation of the MV-CHIK vaccine in Africa.
- Improve Africa’s preparedness for chikungunya outbreaks.
- Build sustainable clinical research and vaccine manufacturing capacity.
- Support regulatory approval and future vaccine access for African populations.
- Contribute to regional health security and pandemic preparedness.
Summary
- ACT-CHIK is a Horizon Europe-funded research project that is accelerating the clinical development of the MV-CHIK chikungunya vaccine in Africa. Through large multicountry clinical trials, technology transfer, manufacturing preparation, and capacity building, the project aims to deliver a safe and effective vaccine while strengthening Africa’s ability to develop, evaluate, manufacture, and regulate vaccines for future outbreaks.