ARC-WA
Advancing Research Capacity in West Africa
ARC-WA (pronounced 'ark-wa') is driving efforts to strengthen clinical research capacity in West Africa, helping the region better prepare for future epidemics and pandemics.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)'s Research Preparedness Program is dedicated to building a resilient and sustainable clinical research ecosystem that can support both routine vaccine development and rapid outbreak research response.
The program is designed to address critical gaps in clinical trial infrastructure and evidence generation during both inter-epidemic and epidemic periods, ensuring that we are better prepared for future public health threats
About ARC-WA
As part of CEPI’s Research Preparedness Program, the ARC-WA (Advancing Research Capacity for West Africa) project is a regional strategic initiative aimed at strengthening regional health security across West Africa. ​
By fostering collaboration and strengthening regional networks, ARC-WA plays a pivotal role in advancing health security and improving the well-being of populations across West Africa and globally, by reducing the risk of epidemics turning into global pandemics.
ARC-WA is coordinated by the Technical Coordinating Partner (TCP), comprising the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and the Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia (MRCG) at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).
Two Strategic Tracks​​​
The ARC-WA project is structured around 2 strategic tracks
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Preparing six clinical trial sites for a Phase 2b GCP-compliant Lassa fever vaccine trial in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.
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Selecting and preparing 10–15 clinical trial sites for a Phase 3 Lassa fever vaccine trial in Lassa-endemic West African states, including Nigeria, Benin, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.​​
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Developing and advancing outbreak-specific concepts to prepare and sustain clinical trial facilities in West Africa with local and regional partners.
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Ensuring readiness to rapidly initiate clinical evidence generation for vaccines and other biological countermeasures during public health emergencies.
Core Principles and Sustainability
CEPI’s approach is guided by these key principles:
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Regional guidance
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Local ownership
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Alignment with national priorities
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Non-exclusivity
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Open access
Sustainability is also a key priority for CEPI. IQVIA, one of CEPI’s global providers, is developing a sustainability framework to be used by partners in the region. The TCP, working with clinical trial sites and our partners, will utilize the outputs of this framework to ensure we consider all factors that can improve the chances of long-term sustainability and readiness, to ensure these efforts can be continued into the future.