NICHD SERVICES: MPT DATABASE ACCESS AND MAINTENANCE

Public Health Institute, Oakland CA

Investigators

Abstract

Scientific Justification of Initiative: Interagency Agreement with USAID to Support CAMI Health to Expand the Field of Nonhormonal MPTs (Y01) - please note: CAMI is a name, not an abbreviation or acronym. NICHD has not yet had its FY2020 HIV/AIDS planning session so changes to this justification may be needed later. Multi-Purpose Technologies have the potential to protect women and girls from interlinked sexual and reproductive health risks. The Initiative for Multipurpose Prevention Technologies (IMPT) is a project of CAMI-health, an organization dedicated to improving the health of women and girls worldwide, housed at the Public Health Institute (PHI). In the past the CRB funded CAMI-health to have the IMPT coordinate the MPT field, primarily in the direction of hormonally based products, and as a result the field has been focused in that area. In the past two years, the Contraception Research Branch and the Maternal and Pediatric Infectious Disease Branch have begun collaborating with the goal of developing nonhormonal MPTs that have both contraceptive and HIV-prevention properties. This represents a paradigm shift away from research of the past decade which has focused primarily on the development of hormonally based MPTs. This initiative seeks to employ IMPT's significant experience, skill and resources to advance the development of nonhormonal MPTs and assist in attracting researchers from the field, establish meetings and teleconferences of active and interested researchers, facilitate global research engagement/partnership and improve industry engagement in the area of nonhormonal MPTs. Initiative Background: Multipurpose Technologies (MPTs) represent a very promising approach for combining contraception with HIV prevention and provide an attractive public health approach. In recent years the IMPT of CAMI-health has been a strong presence in coordinating the multipurpose technology field, with the primary focus of driving the development of hormone based MPTs. This request to continue funding of this IAA allows the CRB and the MPIDB to leverage the relationship with CAMI-health to increase the activity of the IMPT in the direction of developing novel, innovative MPTs that are not based on hormonal action. In last year, the CRB has begun funding work in this area and the MPIDB will make awards in the near future. The area is of significant interest to both branches. What are the goals of this initiative? The goals of this initiative are for IMPT to use its expertise and knowledge of the field to increase awareness and stimulate more global activity on nonhormonal MPT development. This includes but is not limited to increasing awareness on the part of researchers, global funding agencies and industry. FY 2020 AIDS IC Request NICHD (Dollars in Thousands) Initiative Justification Page 18 of 19 Print Time: 4:43 PM Print Date: 7/5/2018 · Organize and host 1-2 technical webinars annually on topics to simulate discussion of barriers and opportunities related to the development of nonhormonal MPTs. Examples include: i. development of nonhormonal MPTs; ii. working across technology platforms to approach challenges in an integrated manner. · Develop, revise, and disseminate nonhormonal MPT-related outreach materials to stakeholders. The work may be refined, and new activities may be added through discussions with the Contraception Research Branch, the Maternal and Pediatric Infectious Disease Branch and the Initiative for Multipurpose Prevention Technologies. Progress will be reviewed quarterly and measured based on the conduct of meaningful activities to fulfill the objectives of the agreement. In the coming months, Dr. Travis Kent will become associated with the CRB as an AAAS Fellow, and it is expected that he will become a key participant in these activities.