A debilitating mosquito-borne disease. A growing global health threat. And now, a major new effort to strengthen Africa’s capacity to develop, test, and manufacture vaccines against it.

The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is a key partner in ACT-CHIK (Accelerating Clinical Trials for CHIKungunya Vaccine in Africa), a four-year research project bringing together seven organizations across four continents to advance the clinical development of a chikungunya vaccine.

After 18 months of virtual collaboration—during which remote meetings shaped everything from building the consortium to securing funding—ACT-CHIK partners came together in June 2026 at the project’s kick-off meeting in Kigali, Rwanda.

It marked a significant milestone, transforming relationships built on screens into stronger partnerships united by a shared ambition to enhance preparedness for future chikungunya epidemics.

We spoke to Dr. Anh Wartel, Deputy Director General and Regional Director of the IVI Europe Regional Office, who serves as co-scientific project lead for ACT-CHIK. She played a pivotal role in bringing together a unique collaboration with experts spanning clinical trials, technology transfer, and vaccine manufacturing.

How was the ACT-CHIK project conceived? Why focus on chikungunya?
Dr. Wartel: ACT-CHIK was born from a convergence of scientific opportunity, strong partnerships, and an urgent public health need in Africa. IVI has built significant expertise in chikungunya vaccine development through the Global Chikungunya Vaccine Clinical Development Program (GCCDP), funded by CEPI. That experience, combined with our scientific collaboration with Institut Pasteur, the Pasteur Network, and the availability of clinical trial material, laid the foundation for much more ambitious next steps to conduct the measles-vectored chikungunya vaccine clinical trial in a different population and expand the age groups in Africa and assess the feasibility of transferring the measles-based platform technology to a manufacturing partner on the continent.

At the same time, chikungunya is becoming an increasingly important global health threat. The virus is spreading to new regions, outbreaks are growing in scale and frequency, and climate change is expanding the range of the mosquitoes that transmit it. Yet despite this growing risk, access to vaccines and manufacturing capacity remain limited in many parts of the world, particularly in Africa.

ACT-CHIK was designed to help close those gaps. Through a multi-country consortium, the project aims to generate additional clinical data in African populations, including younger age groups. It will also further characterize the measles-virus-based vaccine platform developed by Institut Pasteur and initiate its technology transfer to Institut Pasteur de Dakar.

With seven partners in the consortium, how did the collaboration come together?

Dr. Wartel: It came together very naturally through a network of scientific relationships and shared ambitions. Existing collaborations among IVI, Institut Pasteur, the Pasteur Network, and the University of Rwanda created a strong foundation of trust and aligned expertise.

Through my work and in my role as an Honorary Professor at the University of Rwanda, I have developed strong professional ties across the African region. What united all seven partners was a shared vision that goes beyond a single vaccine.

ACT-CHIK is also about strengthening Africa’s role in vaccine research, development, and manufacturing so that future epidemic threats can be addressed faster and more equitably.

What were your impressions of the kick-off meeting in Kigali, and how would you describe the atmosphere among participants?
Dr. Wartel: The energy in Kigali was genuinely inspiring. Naturally, everyone was excited to have reached the post-award phase, but what stood out most was how quickly that enthusiasm translated into creating impact and action.

After spending more than a year working together remotely, meeting in person created a completely different level of connection. You could feel relationships strengthening, conversations becoming more dynamic, and ideas gaining momentum. In my closing remarks, I said that there was a really special vibe in the room—and I meant it. There was a shared sense of purpose, a genuine willingness to collaborate, and enthusiasm to move into the project implementation phase. The opportunity to meet face-to-face shows how much I value the consortium’s effort and dedication, and it gives me great confidence in what lies ahead.

A ‘special vibe in the room’ at the first in-person ACT-CHIK meeting. Credit: University of Rwanda

What will IVI’s involvement look like over the coming four years? Tell us more about your role.
Dr. Wartel: IVI will play a central role in scientific coordination and training throughout the project. Our Clinical, Assessment, Regulatory, Evaluation (CARE) unit will oversee a major work package focused on the sponsor responsibilities for the clinical trial, the development of the regulatory strategy for MV-CHIK vaccine licensure in Africa, and capacity-building activities across participating countries.

My role as co-scientific project lead will be to oversee the consortium’s activities from a scientific perspective, helping ensure strong coordination between partners and maintain momentum toward the project’s long-term goals.

What does ACT-CHIK hope to achieve by the end of the project?
Dr. Wartel: ACT-CHIK aims to leave a lasting legacy that extends far beyond chikungunya vaccine development alone.

By the end of the project, we hope to have contributed to strengthening clinical trial capabilities across participating African countries and taken meaningful steps toward transferring a measles virus-based vaccine platform to the continent for local chikungunya vaccine development. At the same time, the platform could be leveraged for other pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential, helping create a pathway toward regional manufacturing of priority vaccines for Africa.

Ultimately, the goal is to contribute to a future where African countries are not only participating in global vaccine development efforts but are also leading and manufacturing solutions for their own public health priorities.

ACT-CHIK brings together seven partners from four continents. Credit: University of Rwanda

Following the kick-off meeting in Kigali, what are the next steps from here?
Dr. Wartel: Now the real work begins. The next phase is about turning our vision into reality through detailed planning, implementation, and execution.

Between now and the end of the year, the priority is to develop all the required study-related documents, including those for the dossier submission to the respective regulatory and ethical bodies of the participating countries to launch the clinical trial in 2027. This work will be led by IVI’s CARE team.

At the same time, there is a focus on preparing clinical trial material for the study. This includes testing the clinical trial material, confirming its quality and safety, and generating the stability data needed before it can be distributed to the trial sites.

The regulatory review process typically takes three to six months. If everything progresses as planned, we expect to receive approvals and begin participant enrollment around mid-2027. It is a rigorous process, but every step is essential to ensuring a high-quality clinical trial and bringing us closer to a safe and effective chikungunya vaccine.