Page 9 - Annual Report - Summative Report 2024-2025

FUNDING HEALTH INNOVATION THROUGH GRANTS

INNOVATION AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

The Grants Innovation and Product Development (GIPD) • The UCT H3D team, led by Prof K Chibale, has
Unit of the SAMRC fulfils two of the core functions of the developed a late lead compound with very good
organisation, namely, to support research and innovation in vitro and in vivo anti-M. tuberculosis activity
through a variety of grant mechanisms, strategic and safety profile. This has led to a collaborative
partnerships, strategic programs and innovation effort with the Gates Medical Research Institute to
initiatives. These enable the SAMRC to support and advance this candidate toward preclinical candidate
build the health research and innovation ecosystem in development. This new compound would represent
South Africa, drive cutting edge scientific advancement a significant contribution towards the global fight
and facilitate the development and testing of novel against TB, particularly addressing the need for new
health solutions. The total spending on research and drugs to respond to the resistance of the pathogen
innovation grants during the 2024/25 financial year was to existing drugs.
R185,680,758. GIPD’s robust grant management standard
operating procedures ensure that health research • Dr G Munhenga’s team at the NICD has made
funding is effectively and efficiently administered by significant strides in optimizing mass-rearing and
the SAMRC and, together with successive clean audits, transportation of sterilized male mosquitoes, resulting
have contributed to attracting substantial funding from in over 230 000 sterile mosquitoes released in a small-
a variety of local and international funders. Strategic scale field trial in KwaZulu-Natal. This was preceded by
funding partnerships established in the previous financial extensive community engagement which resulted in
year enabled SAMRC to support an expanded portfolio the community embracing the project and improved
of research and innovation grants as well as R&D and general health-seeking behaviour by the population.
manufacturing infrastructure and have contributed to the Early entomological results demonstrate that the
SAMRC again exceeding its targets for indicators 2.3.1, released sterile mosquitoes were able to compete
3.1.1 and 3.1.2. against wild-type mosquitoes, and induced sterility
in the wild-type population, resulting in a decline in
GIPD Programme and Strategic the density of the Anopheles arabiensis population.
Project Updates This is the first demonstration of the success of the
sterile insect technique in an African mosquito vector.
With the renewed commitment of funds for SHIP from
Strategic Health Innovation Partnerships (SHIP) was the DSTI, the SHIP team successfully hosted priority-
established by the SAMRC and the Department of Science setting meetings to engage key stakeholders to inform
Technology and Innovation (DSTI) in 2013 to facilitate the SHIP and SAMRC funding strategy for the next
and support health innovation to address national 5 – 10 years. A priority-setting meeting held in July
priorities and enable the national system of innovation in 2024 focused on HIV, NCD and Precision Medicine,
a coordinated manner. SHIP is one of the key programs AMR, Digital Health, Mental Health, and Maternal,
through which the SAMRC supports innovation and Neonatal and Child Health. The meeting received
technology projects aimed at developing, testing and/or excellent support from the Department of Health,
implementing new or improved health solutions for HIV, led by the DDG, Dr A Pillay, and representatives from
malaria, TB, Non-communicable Diseases (NCD), Anti- each of the thematic areas.
microbial Resistance (AMR), Maternal and Child Health
(MCH), and COVID-19. Some key highlights in 2024/25 • A follow up priority setting exercise on HIV was held
include:
in January 2025 with the research community and
culminated in a request for applications aimed at new
• Over 30 postgraduate students have been HIV-specific product development investments from
supported through SHIP-funded projects. Several 2025.
of these students are receiving drug discovery
and development training through a capacity • Precision Medicine is a key priority within the SHIP
development and transformation initiative funded programme that is being advanced through a portfolio
by SHIP and supported by the UCT H3D team at of funded projects focused on pharmacogenomics
the University of Limpopo (Prof W Nxumalo) and and precision medicine for various cancers and
University of Venda (Prof I Ramaite).
cardiometabolic diseases and is a key example of the
application of 5IR to healthcare. In the past year the

SUMMA
SAMRC SUMMATIVE REPOR T 2025-26T 2024-25 9
TIVE REPOR
SAMRC