KNUST Joins Global Push to Fast‑Track Dengue Vaccine Trials in Africa
The School of Public Health at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has joined a major international consortium working to accelerate the licensure and rollout of a promising dengue vaccine across sub‑Saharan Africa and other regions.
The initiative, known as the DENSTAR Project, will evaluate DengiAll, a single‑dose tetravalent live‑attenuated dengue vaccine designed to protect against all four dengue virus serotypes. KNUST will play a central role by hosting Phase III clinical trials on the continent.
The four‑year project, which commenced on June 1, 2026, brings together leading universities, research institutions, biotech companies, regulators, and non‑profit organisations from Europe, Africa, Asia and North America.
Funded by the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking (GH EDCTP3 JU) with support from the European Union, the consortium has secured over €11 million to advance research and clinical trials aimed at reducing the burden of dengue fever and other neglected tropical diseases.
Dengue fever—transmitted by mosquitoes—is emerging as a growing public health threat in sub‑Saharan Africa, driven by climate change, rapid urbanisation and rising insecticide resistance. While many cases are mild, severe dengue can lead to haemorrhage, shock, organ failure and death.
Despite its increasing prevalence, there is no specific antiviral treatment, and existing vaccines have limitations that hinder widespread deployment.
The DENSTAR consortium aims to close these gaps through the development and evaluation of DengiAll. Unlike current vaccines, DengiAll does not require prior serological screening, making it more suitable for low‑ and middle‑income countries where diagnostic access is limited.
The consortium comprises ten institutions from nine countries, including KNUST (Ghana), Panacea Biotec Limited (India), University of Siena (Italy), Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg (Germany), Johns Hopkins University and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (USA), the International Vaccine Institute (South Korea), Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (Gabon), Instituto Nacional de Saúde (Mozambique), and the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale du Zaire (DRC).
As part of the project, Phase I and Phase III clinical studies will be conducted among healthy African adults and children to assess the vaccine’s safety and efficacy. Researchers will also undertake Controlled Human Infection Model (CHIM) studies to evaluate protection against Dengue Virus Serotype 4 (DENV‑4), a strain for which no vaccine has yet shown proven efficacy.
Professor Donata Medaglini, Deputy Rector of the University of Siena, Chief Scientific Officer of the Sclavo Vaccines Association and DENSTAR Coordinator, described the initiative as a landmark collaboration.
“DENSTAR is a unique consortium that concentrates international excellence in vaccine research, development, manufacture and clinical trials. By uniting top experts from academia, industry and non‑profit organisations, we are forging a true public‑private partnership to bridge critical gaps in dengue prevention,” she said.
She added that making an effective dengue vaccine available in Africa would significantly improve health outcomes and support healthier, more productive lives across the continent.
Dr Khalid Ali Syed, Chief Scientific Officer of Panacea Biotec Limited, said the project has the potential to reduce infections, improve quality of life and ease pressure on global healthcare systems.
Professor Ellis Owusu‑Dabo, immediate past Pro Vice‑Chancellor of KNUST, Professor of Epidemiology and Global Health, and Scientific Project Lead for DENSTAR, said the initiative comes at a crucial time as dengue infections rise across sub‑Saharan Africa.
“The primary challenge of the DENSTAR project is to advance a live‑attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine through controlled human infection model studies to enable its licensure in sub‑Saharan Africa,” he said.
He added that KNUST is honoured to host the Phase III clinical trial component, noting that the university’s involvement reflects its growing leadership in global health research and its commitment to generating evidence to support the safe and effective use of the DengiAll vaccine across Africa.