Pilot Field Project

Implementing moxidectin in community treatment of River Blindness

Medicines Development for Global Health (MDGH) aims to bridge clinical research to healthcare policy and medicine access through investigating the use of moxidectin in communities affected by onchocerciasis.

In collaboration with national programs, healthcare providers, community leaders, and international stakeholders, MDGH is supporting the first implementation of moxidectin as an alternative treatment in onchocerciasis elimination programs.

In the Global Report on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)  published in 2023, the World Health Organization noted moxidectin’s efficiency as a microfilarial treatment against river blindness (onchocerciasis).

Program Goals

Moxidectin implementation programme goals: exploring feasibility, safety and social acceptance

This new phase will assess moxidectin’s feasibility and safety in programmatic settings and its acceptance by communities. The impact of these factors on intervention effectiveness is well established. Local and international implementing partners will coordinate the community drug distribution.

By collaborating closely with local and international researchers, Medicines Development for Global Health aims to show community response to moxidectin to inform policy updates and future deployment of this new medicine against onchocerciasis.

Custom lime green graphic with four dots and downward facing arrowCustom lime green graphic with four dots and downward facing arrowImage of four white tablets on lime green background

The moxidectin implementation programme includes:

Interaction with the respective National Drug Regulatory Agency to identify the authorization pathways for moxidectin use in the pilot project.

Social research to assess effectiveness of moxidectin introduction.

Communication tools for community sensitization and training materials for community drug distributors.

Delivery of moxidectin to country(ies). See below for more information.

Safety surveillance to ensure adequate serious adverse events / suspected adverse drug reaction monitoring.

Baseline and End-of-project surveys of community disease burden.

Aligning Efforts to inform World Health Organization Guidelines Development

WHO NTD Roadmap 2030

MDGH’s implementation project aligns with the World Health Organization NTD Roadmap 2030 to demonstrate effectiveness and safety of moxidectin in programmatic settings.

Read Report

OTS 6 Meeting Report

The implementation project blueprint was endorsed by the World Health Organization Onchocerciasis Technical Sub-Committee (OTS) in December 2022.

Read Report
PROJECT LOCATIONS

Angola and Ghana: the first two countries to pilot community distribution of moxidectin

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Angola

Led by the Kirby Institute - University of New South Wales Medicine & Health, Angola will host a cluster-randomised trial assessing the impact of moxidectin versus ivermectin mass drug administration on the prevalence of onchocerciasis and other neglected tropical diseases over 5 years. It is expected to start in 2025.

KIRBY INSTITUTE WEBSITE

Angola

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ANGOLA PROJECT STATUS UPDATES
Current Status

Project kick-off

December 5, 2024
Current Status

MDGH team registers in Angola

October 4, 2024
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Ghana

Under the Momentum project, the Ghana Health Service and partners will distribute moxidectin twice a year for 3 years in the district of Twifo Atti Morkwa. A social research study to confirm the operational feasibility of introducing moxidectin as an alternative treatment for onchocerciasis and its acceptability to the local population and stakeholders will be conducted by the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and the Bruyere Research Institute, Canada. Educational materials are being developed to support community sensitization and training of the community distributors.

Ghana

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GHANA PROJECT STATUS UPDATES
Current Status

Social studies research begins

December 5, 2024
Current Status

Project kick-off

October 4, 2024
Current Status

MDGH team registers in Ghana

October 4, 2024
Resources

Looking for more information?

Momentum Concept Note

Drug Distribution Training Materials

Kirby Institute Website

Moxidectin FAQs

Contact us to learn more about the implementation projects