Vaccine Against Schistosomiasis against Africa – referred as ‘VASA’ is comprised of 18 different Work Packages covering from Phase Ib clinical trial using the candidate vaccine; SchistoShield®, Sero-epidemiology studies, Cost of Illness & Cost Effective analysis in Burkina Faso and Madagascar as well as human trial challenge using female S.mansoni cercariae, immune signature identification, and correlates of vaccine efficacy. The VASA poses an importance in assisting the African study sites to build up its capacity to function as a competent research institute for operating any clinical/non-clinical research. At the end of the studies, the VASA will transparently open and make the study data available for the genera public to be reused as a responsible member of public health society.
The VASA is funded by the European Union (EU) as part of Horizon 2020 programme for conducting the designated work packages for a period of 5 years (1 June 2019 – 31 May 2024). Upon successful completion of the Project, it is expected for contributing to reduction and eventually elimination of Schistosomiasis in alignment with World Health Organization (WHO)’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).