KEMRI Leads AMR Collaborative Efforts in East Africa.
October 1, 2024
Key Visit Underscores Collaborative Vaccine Research.
October 9, 2024KEMRI Assesses Toxicology Capacity to Boost Drug Discovery and Product Development.
From (L-R), Senior Program Officer, Global Health, Dr. Jenniffer Mabuka elaborate a point while Senior Officer, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Linu John and Deputy Director, Discovery and Transational Services, Dr. Fran Berlioz-Seux follows.
On 1st. October 2024, the Institute hosted a delegation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to evaluate its toxicology capacity. The delegation, led by Dr. Jenniffer Mbuka-Maroa, Senior Program Officer in the Global Partnerships & Grand Challenges (GP&GC), aimed to assess KEMRI’s readiness and capacity for advancing drug discovery and product development—key pillars in enhancing human health.
KEMRI is a beneficiary of two major projects funded by the Gates Foundation through a consortium known as Grand Challenges Africa. These projects focus on accelerating drug discovery for tuberculosis and malaria, as well as developing non-hormonal contraceptive products. The delegation was hosted by Dr. Elizabeth Kigondu at KEMRI’s Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR).
The meeting featured in-depth discussions between KEMRI scientists and the Gates Foundation delegation, focusing on KEMRI’s capabilities and areas requiring improvement in toxicology. Key presentations were made by senior researchers from CTMDR, including Dr. Ruth Nyang’acha, Dr. Njeri Irungu, Dr. James Kuria, and Dr. Jeremiah Gathirwa. Additional insights were provided by Dr. Sospeter Njeru from the Center for Community Driven Research (CCDR), Dr. Simon Njenga from the Centre for Clinical Research (CCR), and Dr. Edwin Murungi from Kisii University.
The discussions highlighted KEMRI’s commitment to ensuring its drug discovery and product development processes meet the stringent standards of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), particularly in terms of safety, efficacy, and security.
“Toxicology studies start at the in-silico stage, where computer simulations predict a product’s toxicity. This phase informs whether the product should move to laboratory analysis for further toxicology studies. If promising, the product is tested on lower animals, such as rodents, to assess acute, sub-chronic, and chronic toxicity. If results are favorable, we progress to higher animals, like dogs, and eventually primates. At every stage, we rigorously test for toxicity to ensure the product’s safety,” explained Dr. Kigondu.
The delegation also toured KEMRI’s laboratories and identified key areas that need improvement to enhance toxicology research. Among the highlighted areas was the need for Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)-accredited experiments and facilities, which are critical for ensuring compliance with international standards. Other areas for improvement included expanding lab capacity, acquiring an automatic stainer for the histology lab, and addressing concerns over the mixing of human and animal specimens in the pathology lab. Additionally, the lack of a dedicated necropsy space was raised as an issue that needs urgent attention.
The assessment marked an important step in KEMRI’s journey to strengthen its toxicology capacity, which is crucial for advancing drug discovery and product development, ultimately contributing to better healthcare solutions for Kenya and beyond.
