INTEGRATE CONSORTIUM LAUNCHES NEW SITE TO SUPPORT LASSA FEVER TREATMENT AND ONGOING CLINICAL TRIAL

The INTEGRATE Consortium has opened the third-largest Lassa fever treatment center and new research site in Nigeria at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi state, in northeast Nigeria, accounts for approximately a quarter of all reported cases nationwide. During the last peak season, between November 2025 and April 2026, about 332 Lassa fever patients were admitted at the facility. Opened on May 27th 2026, the new site, which is implementing its first ever clinical trial, represents a critical step toward improving access to life-saving care for patients while advancing clinical research aimed at identifying more effective treatment options.

Enhancing Multidisciplinary Skills for Effective Trial Implementation 

The launch featured a 3-day training session aimed at strengthening the capacity of implementing staff to ensure patient safety and data integrity, attended by 38 participants from various sections of the medical field: nurses, pharmacists, medical doctors, data clerks, and lab scientists. Consisting of both theoretical and practical sessions, topics covered during the training session included medical and paramedical management and monitoring, disease-related complications, laboratory sample management and data management. Two intensive laboratory training sessions also took place to equip the participants with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage INTEGRATE trial participant samples. The training was facilitated by Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM), Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA), Federal Medical Center Owo (FMCO), Epicentre, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) the French National Medical Research Agency – Infectious Diseases and emerging diseases (ANRS-MIE) and MSF-Geneva. 

Having successfully completed the training, the clinical research team will carry out participant recruitment in accordance with Good Clinical Practice guidelines, ensuring smooth trial implementation, adherence to the research protocol and compliance with the highest international standards. 

Chief Medical Director (CMD), ATBUTH, Professor Yusuf Jibrin says launching the INTEGRATE platform trial at the Bauchi site is not only a step forward for medical research, but also a bridge between healthcare innovation and the people who need it most.

“Strong community relationships are essential in building trust, improving understanding, and encouraging acceptance of new medical interventions. For us, this is an opportunity to work closely with the community, listen to their realities, and ensure that innovation is introduced in a way that is humane, inclusive, and impactful. Beyond research, it represents hope, connection, and a shared commitment to improving health outcomes for our society.”

Partnership and Capacity-Driven Approach to Lassa Fever Treatment and Research 

Lassa fever continues to affect thousands of people in Nigeria each year, with seasonal outbreaks placing immense pressure on health systems. Access to early diagnosis, treatments and supportive care remains a challenge in many high-risk areas. All three sites, ATBUTH, FMCO and ISTH, have been prepared to facilitate reliable diagnosis, improve clinical case management, and to strengthen infection prevention and control measures. The new site will serve as both a treatment center and a clinical research hub, supporting the ongoing INTEGRATE clinical trial. This dual approach, which applies to all participating sites, ensures that patients receive the best quality of care while contributing to research that could shape the future of Lassa fever treatment. By integrating care and research, the initiative brings scientific progress closer to the communities most affected by the disease. Additionally, outreach activities aimed at raising community awareness about LF prevention and clinical research, including presentations of the INTEGRATE trial, play a key role in enhancing both the acceptability of trial participation and trust in research. 

The INTEGRATE consortium, coordinated by ALIMA in collaboration with BNITM, ISTH and FMCO, has partnered with ATBUTH, MSF-Geneva and Epicentre to implement the trial at ATBUTH. 

The INTEGRATE trial is under the sponsorship of  ISTH, with ANRS-MIE as co-sponsor.

The clinical trial which started off at FMCO and ISTH has so far enrolled 113 participants and ATBUTH enrolled its first participant on June 03 2026.

Advancing Treatment for the Future

By expanding both care and research capacity, the INTEGRATE Consortium is reinforcing its commitment to tackling Lassa fever in Nigeria and across the region, ensuring that communities most at risk are not left behind. 

Activities on the INTEGRATE project are made possible with funding from EDCTP 3, a program supported by the European Union, from Arisan Therapeutics, ANRS MIE and the German Center for Infection Research.