Working Group on New TB Diagnostics - Home

FIND requests applications

FIND is inviting Requests for Applications for collaborative research on methods for the detection of tuberculosis in primary health care settings. The purpose is to stimulate research to identify easily detectable TB biomarkers, or to develop novel detection methods that allow the detection of existing TB biomarkers in peripheral health care settings. For more information, please visit the FIND website.

The deadline for application is 11th May 2009

Every year on 24 March, the world commemorates World TB Day. The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) wishes to make a contribution to mitigating the effect of this disease by announcing funding opportunities for TB researchers. A call for proposals in TB diagnostics is now open for applications.

Call for Proposals in TB diagnostics

Clinical trials, capacity building and networking in new and improved diagnostics for tuberculosis (TB)

Available funds: € 8,000,000*
Number of projects to fund: 2-4
Open to application 24 March 2009
Deadline for application 24 July 2009

* We expect the EDCTP contribution of € 8,000,000 to be matched by at least an equivalent amount of cofunding from the European Member States and possibly further contributions from third parties.

Purpose of the call

The purpose of this call is to develop simpler, cheaper and more accurate TB diagnostic tool(s). The investigational product(s) should be manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Priority will be given but not limited to products that can be deployed at the Point of Care (POC).

Who can apply?

Participants in a proposal must be drawn from at least two publicly funded institutions from the EDCTP EEIG Member States and at least two sub-Saharan African institutions. Preference will be given to proposals where the project coordinator is a sub-Saharan African national based in Africa. Please note that clinical trials and activities outside of sub-Saharan Africa are outside the scope of EDCTP.

For more details on this call and how to apply, please consult the EDCTP website: www.edctp.org

Dear Colleagues

We write to you on behalf of the Stop TB Partnership's Working Group on New Diagnostics (WGND).

The WGND was established in 2001 as a platform for focus on promoting development and adoption of new and modified diagnostic products. Since then, the WGND secretariat (UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR)) and the Chair, Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) along with all the members of the WGND including international organizations, academia, NGOs and industry have contributed significantly to the advances in the field of TB diagnostics.

The mission of the WG is to advocate and implement research and/or operational activities in pursuit of the development and implementation of TB diagnostic tools and to collaborate with other elements of the Partnership so as to create synergy and add value to actions taken in pursuit of the aims of the Partnership.

The WGND has recently been restructured. A core group has been established, with representation from major interest groups. To complement this, eight sub groups with specific tasks have also been created. Each subgroup has two joint co-ordinators who will develop work plans and targets for the sub group. The proposed structure is as shown in Fig 1 of the attached Draft Strategic Plan. There are five subgroups with primary responsibility for advancing technology and the remaining three provide necessary information around specific issues that should guide tool development and implementation. These subgroups will work together to achieve WGND goals.

You are invited to join our Working Group. We attach a membership form, a copy of the latest draft of the NDWG Strategic Plan, and a flyer for our annual meeting at the Union Conference in Cape Town, on the 9th November 2007. The annual meeting presents an ideal opportunity to be updated on progress towards new diagnostic tools for tuberculosis. We hope you will be able to attend.

Best regards

Giorgio Roscigno
Chair

Andy Ramsay
Secretary

Stop TB Partnership
Working Group on New Diagnostics

Membership form
Draft of the NDWG Strategic Plan
Flyer for our annual meeting at the Union Conference in Cape Town

Determining Future TB Reference Material Requirements:
WHO/TDR TB Expert & End-User Survey

WHO/TDR in collaboration with the Stop TB Partnership Working Group on New Diagnostics are calling upon TB experts and TB reference material users including academic scientists, test developers, lab managers to inform the future activities of the WHO/TDR sponsored TB specimen and Strain banks. To this end, a survey has been developed to gain insight into your current and future needs for TB specimens (type, patient characteristics) and TB strain needs (phenotypic, genotypic characterization of drug resistance) to support development of quality TB diagnostics. If you (or your company/institution) require or will be requiring TB specimens and/or strains to support TB diagnostics research, development, evaluation and quality control activities, please complete the survey.