The School of Public Health at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, has joined a major international consortium under the DENSTAR Project, a groundbreaking global health initiative to advance the licensure and deployment of a promising tetravalent live-attenuated dengue vaccine, DengiAll, across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.
The four-year project, which officially begins on June 1, 2026, brings together leading universities, research institutions, healthcare experts, regulators, non-profit organisations and biotechnology companies from Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America to tackle the growing global threat of dengue fever. The project is funded by the Global Health European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership 3 Joint Undertaking (GH EDCTP3 JU), supported by the European Union, with an investment of over €11 million to support research and clinical trials aimed at reducing the burden of dengue and other neglected tropical diseases in Africa.
Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease, is emerging as a major public health threat in sub-Saharan Africa, driven by climate change, rapid urbanisation, and growing insecticide resistance. While many infections present with mild symptoms, severe dengue can result in life-threatening complications such as haemorrhage, shock, organ failure, and death. Despite the increasing burden of the disease, there is currently no specific antiviral treatment for dengue, and existing vaccines offer limited protection and present significant challenges for large-scale deployment. The DENSTAR consortium seeks to address these gaps through the development and evaluation of DengiAll, an innovative single-dose tetravalent dengue vaccine designed to provide protection against all four dengue virus serotypes.
Unlike currently available vaccines, DengiAll does not require prior serological screening before administration, making it particularly suitable for broad implementation in low- and middle-income countries where access to diagnostic testing may be limited.
The consortium comprises ten institutions from nine countries, including the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (Ghana), Panacea Biotec Limited (India), University of Siena (Italy), Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg (Germany), Johns Hopkins University and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (United States), the International Vaccine Institute (Republic of Korea), Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (Gabon), Instituto Nacional de Saúde (Mozambique), and the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale du Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo). As part of the project, Phase I and III clinical studies will be conducted among healthy African adults and children to assess the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine within African populations. The project will also undertake Controlled Human Infection Model (CHIM) studies to evaluate the vaccine’s efficacy against Dengue Virus Serotype 4 (DENV-4), an area where no dengue vaccine has yet demonstrated proven protection.
Deputy Rector of the University of Siena, Chief Scientific Officer of Sclavo Vaccines Association, and DENSTAR Coordinator, Prof. Donata Medaglini, described the initiative as a transformative global partnership in vaccine development.
“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 stated.
She added that making an effective dengue vaccine available in Africa would significantly advance the universal right of individuals to healthy and productive lives.
Chief Scientific Officer of Panacea Biotec Limited, Dr. Khalid Ali Syed, indicated that the project would have a lasting impact on global public health by reducing the burden of dengue infections, improving quality of life, and easing pressure on healthcare systems.
Professor Ellis Owusu-Dabo, immediate past Pro Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Professor of Epidemiology and Global Health at the KNUST School of Public Health, and the Scientific Project Lead for DENSTAR, underscored the growing threat posed by dengue infections in Africa.
“Dengue infections can range from mild to potentially fatal in the most severe cases. It is becoming more common in 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.
Professor Owusu-Dabo expressed immense satisfaction with the initiative and underscored that the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is honoured to host the Phase III clinical trial component of the project. He noted that the University’s participation reflects its growing leadership in global health research and its commitment to generating robust scientific evidence to support the safe and effective use of the DengiAll vaccine across Africa.
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