IMPT Summer Newsletter 2017

IMPT

Innovative prevention for women's health – the
promise of MPTs

Initiative for Multipurpose Prevention Technologies (IMPT)
Summer 2017 Newsletter



		Dear Colleagues, We are in the midst of another exciting year for the Multipurpose Prevention Technology (MPT) field, and the Initiative for MPTs (IMPT) is very pleased to see progress in the development of promising MPT products. As we progress through the first year of our five-year cooperative agreement with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the IMPT Secretariat has been working to address priority issues identified by the IMPT's Supporting Agency Collaboration Committee (SACC) and Steering Committee and developing frameworks that will allow us to respond quickly to the evolving MPT field. In this vein, the IMPT Secretariat has launched an activity aimed to identify the priority target populations and geographies where MPTs that provide contraception and HIV prevention can have maximum impact. We are engaging with an external consultant and a small committee of expert advisors to implement this activity. We are also in the process of updating the IMPT Strategic Plan, which outlines the path forward for our work as the central backbone of the MPT field. Given the potential life-saving impact of MPTs and the dynamic status of the field, the IMPT needs your support now more than ever. You can help shape the path forward for MPTs by sharing our educational materials with your networks, by collaborating with other sexual and reproductive health stakeholders as part of an IMPT task force or committee, or by donating to the IMPT, thereby accelerating MPT education, advocacy, and research. The coming months promise more exciting developments for MPTs, and as IMPT Secretariat, we will continue our work to elevate critical issues, facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration, and catalyze strategic next steps for the field. We look forward to the ongoing commitment and support of you, our global partners, in our efforts to put the needs of women and girls at the center of this exciting prevention field.

		Sincerely, Bethany Young Holt, PhD MPH Director \| Initiative for MPTs

	JUST RELEASED

		Video on the Promise of MPTs
				On 28 May, the International Day of Action for Women's Health, the IMPT released a video that highlights the promise of MPTs to improve the lives of women, children, and families around the world. Please help spread the word about these innovative, life-saving technologies by sharing the video with your networks. • Watch the Video

		New MPT Technical Briefs
				In collaboration with Maggie Kilbourne-Brook of PATH, the IMPT Secretariat developed three new technical briefs focusing on the role of communications and advocacy to advance the MPT field, MPT end-user contexts, and advancing the MPT scientific agenda. Please feel free to share these resources with your networks! • Building Momentum Through Awareness-Raising and Advocacy • Building Capacity for MPT Product Development • Building MPT Acceptability During Product Development

		MPTs and the IMPT PowerPoint
				MPTs & the IMPT is a PowerPoint presentation created by CAMI Health to help our colleagues integrate MPTs into their talks and presentations. This slide deck and talking points have been recently updated. Please help spread the word about MPTs by incorporating MPTs and the IMPT into an upcoming presentation. • Download the MPTs & the IMPT PowerPoint Presentation

	MPT NEWS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE

		Advocacy Efforts in Kenya
		IMPT Kenya Task Force Coordinator Everlyne Ombati		IMPT Kenya Task Force Coordinator, Everlyne Ombati, has been hard at work raising awareness around MPTs among key audiences and amplifying the voices of young women who are in urgent need of comprehensive SRH protection. Her recent outreach activities include a presentation at the KEMRI Annual Scientific Health (KASH) Conference, a booth at the Kenya Medical Association Conference in Nanyuki, and a presentation at the National AIDS Control Council (NACC) Conference. The work of IMPT in-country task forces continues to expand, and we are looking for MPT champions to lead task forces in regions with urgent unmet need for MPTs. If you are interested in getting involved with an MPT task force in your country, please contact us.

	HIGHLIGHTS

		Webinar Series on Critical Issues for MPTs This year, the IMPT has been hosting a series of webinars focused on the most critical technical issues in the MPT field, with the aim of strengthening the collective expertise of MPT stakeholders and disseminating key findings from recent advancements in the field. These webinars include:

		•	*Bioavailability/Bioequivalence Strategies for MPTs - Feasibility and Risks* 26 January 2017 This live webinar focused on critical conversations around bioavailability and bioequivalence strategies for MPTs, including feasibility and risks. The webinar featured a presentation by Charles DiLiberti of Montclair Bioequivalence Services and a facilitated discussion with Laneta Dorflinger of FHI 360 and Joseph Romano of the IMPT. The recording is available on demand on the IMPT website.

		•	*Modelling the Potential of MPTs: Current Landscape and Challenges* 4 May 2017 The second webinar in this series explored the current landscape of MPT modelling around public health impact, cost-effectiveness, uptake, and other forecasting. The webinar featured a presentation by Dr. Íde Cremin of Imperial College London around her team's complex model of the health impact and cost effectiveness of a contraceptive and HIV prevention IVR in South Africa, as well as a facilitated discussion moderated by Dr. Chelsea Polis of the Guttmacher Institute, which featured Dr. Cremin and Matthew Quaife of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. The recording is available on demand on the IMPT website.

		•	*MPT End-User Research: Updates from the Field* 28 September 2017 We are excited to be hosting the final webinar in this year's series on end-user contexts for MPTs, which will highlight current MPT-specific end-user research. It is planned for Thursday, 28 September 2017 at 7:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m. ET / 15:00 BST / 16:00 CEST / 16:00 SAST. Please register here if you haven't already. More details to come on next year's webinar series, starting this fall. Stay tuned!

		Technical Reports In an effort to inform strategic next steps for the MPT field, the IMPT Secretariat has developed the following technical reports on priority gaps and challenges:

		•	*Laying the Groundwork for a Strategic Evaluation Framework (SEF) for HIV Prevention and MPT Product Development* This technical report outlines the methodology and results of an IMPT Secretariat project that was funded by USAID's Office of HIV/AIDS, the objective of which was to create the foundation for a SEF for MPT development that can inform design and development decisions in a way that maximizes market success and impact of products. The report is available on the IMPT website.

		•	Summaries from the Technical Meeting on Hormonal Contraception in MPTs and the Clinical Trial Evaluation Workshop on MPTs In late 2016, the IMPT Secretariat hosted a series of technical consultations around priority issues for MPTs. Summaries from Technical Meeting on Hormonal Contraception (HC) in MPTs and the two-day Clinical Trial Evaluation Workshop for MPTs are available.

		•	*Status of Modelling Efforts in the Field of Multipurpose Prevention Technologies: Summary Report* In late 2016, the IMPT conducted a modelling landscape review of published and ongoing MPT modelling activities to begin identifying research gaps and informing next steps. This summary report outlines the methodology for this review, a summary of relevant projects, and key gaps and challenges for MPT modelling, and is available on the IMPT website.

		MPTs featured in International Women's Day Op-Eds The IMPT Secretariat had two op-eds published in conjunction with International Women's Day, both of which give an overview of the promise of MPTs and the work of the IMPT. The first, an 'Ask the Expert' post on the Human Rights Campaign blog, gives an overview of the current status of the MPT field. Additionally, an article on Our Bodies Ourselves calls for bold action from the global community to advance women's sexual and reproductive health. Please share these articles with your networks to raise awareness around MPTs.

	IN THE FOREGROUND OF THE FIELD

		The IMPT Secretariat strives to keep Initiative stakeholders informed of the most recent MPT developments, research, and issues in the field. You should be receiving our monthly "MPTs: Articles from the Field," with journal articles and other resources distributed regularly to our IMPT partners across the globe. See back issues. IMPT members remain active in the field - attending conferences, delivering presentations, and expanding stakeholder interest in the development of MPTs:

		Funding Opportunities RFA-AI-17-028 Next Generation Multipurpose Prevention Technologies (NGM) (R61/R33 - Clinical Trials Optional) - NIAD and NIMH will be accepting applications to support the development of new and innovative multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs) with the dual purpose of contraception and HIV prevention. View the link above for more detailed information. Letters of Intent due February 19. Also, stay tuned as the IMPT will highlight technical priorities and gaps in the MPT field that may align with the scope of this RFA.

		Keeping on Track: IMPT Network of Experts (NoE) Quarterly Update Each year, the IMPT hosts update webinars on the MPT field for our stakeholders around the world, otherwise known as our Network of Experts (NoE). The most recent updates took place in February and July, and each included dozens of participants from around the world, including stakeholders in India, Kenya, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. IMPT Partner updates included:

		•	CONRAD gave an overview of their Tenofovir (TFV)/ Levonorgestrel (LNG) Vaginal Ring, which enters expanded clinical testing this year.

		•	The Female Health Company, manufacturer of the FC2 female condom, highlighted work to develop female condoms in assorted colors to suit various skin tones.

		•	AVAC discussed their End-User Research Landscape Mapping & Findings document, which catalogs a larger landscape of end-user research, particularly among adolescent girls and young women in Sub-Saharan Africa. With an overall goal of informing collaborations and identifying gaps and next steps for market research, this mapping activity aims to present a framework of different methodologies to gain systematic approaches and provide guidance as this work moves forward.

		•	PATH's Women's Condom Project, the final report of which was released earlier this year, as well as the SILCS Diaphragm program, the work of which will be expanded to look at the health impact and cost-effectiveness of using the SILCS diaphragm with a microbicide gel as an MPT.

		•	The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - Division of AIDS (DAIDS) held a consultation in June 2017, which explored a long-term strategy for MPT research and funding. Experts on formulation, PK/PD, contraception, perceptibility, conjoint analysis, user activity, and regulatory processes were in attendance to discuss field-wide considerations for the future. DAIDS is in the process of developing a white paper, which will outline outcomes from the meeting.

		•	The Population Council is conducting a survey that aims to gather the views of women of reproductive age around SRH prevention. The results of the survey could potentially inform future MPT development. We encourage you to share this survey with your networks.

		•	RTI International gave an update on the TRIO and Quatro studies, which are placebo acceptability studies that aim to inform decisions regarding designs of delivery forms for HIV prevention and MPTs. TRIO results were presented in two posters at IAS by Ariane van der Straten and Alexandra Minnis. Quatro results are forthcoming.

		•	The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth is undertaking research to look at the impact of hormones on the availability of antiretroviral drugs within the reproductive tract. The research is also exploring the impact of contraceptives and tenofovir ARVs on wound healing in the genital tract.

		Initiative for Best Practices (IBP) in Family Planning Consortium Meeting
				In January, the IMPT Deputy Director Kathryn Stewart presented at the IBP Consortium Meeting in Oakland, CA. Her presentation focused on the need for global advocacy around MPTs and efforts to bridge research silos, address critical technical issues, and ensure that the preferences and needs of women are at the center of MPT product development. Pictured Left: Kathryn Stewart presenting at the IBP Consortium Meeting in Oakland, CA.

		Youth Incubator Initiative Innovations Panel
		Pictured Above: Dr. Bethany Young Holt participating on an Innovations Panel as part of a Youth Incubator Initiative.		In May, IMPT Director Dr. Bethany Young Holt was invited to participate on an Innovations Panel as part of a Youth Incubator Initiative organized by the Public Health Institute's Rise Up program and hosted by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Dr. Holt's presentation to the youth leaders discussed the need for improved Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) prevention for adolescent girls and young women, and ways in which MPTs have the potential to address these needs and save lives.

		9th IAS Conference on HIV Science
				IMPT Project Manager Laura Dellplain attended IAS 2017 in Paris, which took place in late July. MPTs were highlighted in several program items, including a plenary session talk by Professor Sheena McCormack of University College London, which focused on HIV prevention drugs. In addition, MPTs were highlighted as a way forward in several presentations during a satellite session on topical PrEP, and in posters by the TRIO study group and Imperial College London. Pictured Left: In her IAS 2017 Plenary presentation, "Adding D to the ABC: Putting the Drugs in the ABC of Prevention," Sheena McCormack highlighted MPTs.

		Please refer to the IMPT website for a comprehensive list of other MPT-relevant conferences. If you are aware of other conferences where MPTs will be highlighted or where colleagues can submit abstracts, please write to us with the details.

	JOIN THE NETWORK OF EXPERTS (NoE)

		The NoE is a multidisciplinary, international group of experts working in sexual and reproductive health, all of whom are committed to making MPTs a reality. NoE members have access to up-to-date news and resources, quarterly update webinars, and other critical MPT-related convenings. Become a member of the IMPT NoE today!

	DONATE TO THE IMPT

		As Secretariat, we strive to expand the funding base for the IMPT to ensure that MPTs become a life-saving reality and hope you will consider making a contribution towards our collective work through the IMPT support page. Contributions are tax-deductible and will go toward an expansion of education and awareness work through our MPT global hubs, the development of an IMPT communications strategy, and other prioritized activities critical to the MPT field.

	THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

		Thank you for your work to make MPTs a reality and to improve the lives of women and girls around the world. Please write to us with any feedback or suggestions to improve our quarterly newsletter. Best, IMPT Secretariat staff