Base of our Sustainable Future

The next step in COMBACTE’s sustainable clinical research network has been taken. On June 4th the proposal for the European Clinical Research Alliance on Infectious Diseases (ECRAID)-Base has been submitted. The current COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented public health measures across the globe. Meanwhile, the scientific research community is developing epidemiological intelligence, diagnostics, vaccines and antiviral treatments to reduce the impact of COVID-19. ECRAID aims to establish itself as a sustainable European single-access clinical research network for infectious diseases.

Collaboration is key

The challenges posed by emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance can only be effectively resolved through international collaboration and coordination. The expertise required to clinically evaluate new diagnostics, treatments, vaccines and other preventive and/or therapeutic interventions is not confined to a single institute or country. Collaboration and solidarity is key.

With COMBACTE as one of the partners in ECRAID-Base, together, we have already established a strong and important foundation. Our existing clinical and laboratory network CLIN-Net and LAB-Net will be at the core of ECRAID-Base, and will continue to expand and play an important role in our future.

By focusing on collaboration between researchers and targeting current ethical, administrative, regulatory and logistical challenges, ECRAID assists clinical trials to be done much faster, more efficiently and therefore at a lower costs, with as ultimate goal to have ongoing platform trials for major diseases and symptoms in Europe.

Warm-base network

As a European single-access clinical research network for infectious diseases, ECRAID-base will be a “Warm Base” network. A “Warm Base” network is a fully operational pan-European clinical research network that has the capacity and capability:

• to directly enrol patients with infectious diseases for generating evidence to support testing and development of new diagnostic, preventive and/or therapeutic strategies and therapies;
• to conduct a broad range of rigorous clinical studies efficiently, and rapidly;
• to function as a platform for a rapid research response in the face of serious infections and infectious outbreaks.

Over the last 7 years we have paved the road for where we are today. We look forward to the future together, continuing to share knowledge and do great research!