Page 166 - SAMRC AnnualReport 2025-26

communicable diseases (NCDs), antimicrobial placental research hub, trained early-career
resistance (AMR), maternal and child health (MCH), researchers, and developed a biobank of over
and emerging diseases such as COVID-19. A 500 participants. As a result of SHIP's catalytic
notable achievement in the financial year was the funding to initiate placental research, the team has
approval of the SHIP Business Plan for 2026–2032. received requests and hosted researchers from
This milestone will secure the future of this vital other LMICs.
innovation initiative beyond 2025/2026.
› Core Needle Biopsies to Detect Hidden HIV
Additional key highlights in 2025/2026 include: Reservoirs in Hard-to-Reach Tissue Compartments
of Deceased Virologically Suppressed and
› Seven new projects were selected for funding Unsuppressed HIV Positive Patients. One of the
through the SHIP HIV Request for Applications most significant roadblocks to an HIV cure is
(RFA) released in 2025. One of the projects, led the ability of the virus to hide in the body. Even
by Dr T Chetty from the SAMRC, which aims to when treatment suppresses HIV in the blood,
determine the safety and pharmacokinetics of the virus might remain in hidden "reservoirs"
broadly neutralising antibodies administered to and reappear once therapy is discontinued. This
HIV-exposed neonates and infants born without innovative project has seen researchers develop
HIV, has secured R 8 000 000 in co-funding from a comprehensive archive of blood and tissue
ELMA Philanthropies. samples from HIV patients. This one-of-a-kind
› The late lead compound for TB developed by the database will enable scientists to map HIV's
UCT H3D team, led by Prof K Chibale, has secured hiding places, track its evolution, and identify the
support to be advanced towards preclinical exact cells that contain the virus. This project has
candidate drug nomination under the European the potential to lead to new biomarkers to track
Regimen Accelerator for Tuberculosis (ERA4TB) hidden HIV, deeper insights into viral persistence,
in collaboration with the Gates Medical Research and stronger foundations for designing targeted
Institute (Gates MRI). This represents a significant cure strategies.
milestone in the TB drug discovery efforts of › In 2025, the DSTI facilitated the participation
South Africa. The H3D team has continued to of the SAMRC as an implementing partner
provide support for drug discovery capacity in the European Partnership on One Health
building efforts at the University of Limpopo and Antimicrobial Resistance (OHAMR), committing
University of Venda by providing in-house training up to R5 million per annum (through SHIP) to
opportunities and workshops to postgraduate support the participation of South African PIs
students enrolled on SHIP-funded projects at in consortia responding to RFAs released by
these universities.
the OHAMR partnership. The OHAMR brings
› Results from a small field trial of the Sterile together 53 organisations from 30 countries
Insect Technique (SIT) against KwaZulu-Natal’s to address AMR across different sectors. The
main malaria mosquito (Anopheles gambiae) SAMRC's participation was approved by the
demonstrated that releasing sterile males reduced NDoH, and South Africa is the only African country
mosquito numbers by over 90% over 5 months. The participating in this important global initiative. The
biggest drop came within the first month – down partners developed a proposal and submitted it
more than 75% (from 175/month to 40.45). Numbers to the European Commission to request a top-up
rose again about a month after releases stopped, grant, which was approved in November 2024. The
reinforcing that the releases drove the decline. first RFA, focusing on “Treatments and adherence
The project team is in advanced discussions to to treatment protocols”, was developed by the
secure funding to scale up mosquito mass-rearing partners in 2025, announced during AMR Week
and conduct feasibility testing of X-ray sterilisation in November 2025, and closed in February 2026.
(as an alternative to gamma irradiation) ahead of Ten projects, which include a South African
the next phase, which will assess the public health applicant, were deemed eligible and are currently
impact. undergoing peer review. Successful projects from
› The HAMLET (Human African Molecular Placental this stage will be invited to submit full proposals,
Research Platform), hosted at UCT under Prof. M and awards are expected to be made by the end
Matjila, has successfully established a continental of 2026.

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