Supporting, Mobilizing, and Accelerating Research for Tuberculosis Elimination (SMART4TB) Philippines Quarterly Report

The project aims to invest up to $200 million to achieve a decline in TB incidence and mortality and to help prepare priority countries for managing the disease. In the Philippines, SMART4TB is implementing several research studies to identify effective person-centered methods for finding, treating, and preventing TB, strengthen local capacity to conduct high-quality research, and engage communities to build demand for new interventions. The project is implementing the following activities related to technical objectives 1, 2, and 6: the ADAPT study to evaluate the usability and performance of non-sputum-based point-of-care TB diagnostic tests among adults, the PRISM-TB study to develop a randomized controlled trial to improve the treatment of rifampin-resistant TB, and the ESI Program to support local and country leadership of SMART4TB science, protocols, and outputs. The ADAPT-Adults study, one of the key activities of SMART4TB in the Philippines, aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and acceptability/usability of novel point-of-care (POC) TB diagnostics in adults with presumptive TB. The study consists of four key sub-activities: protocol adaptation/approvals, site preparation, participant enrollment, and study data quality and assurance activities. In May 2023, SMART4TB, in partnership with UCSF and KNCV, determined that UCSF would serve as the lead institution for the ADAPT-Adults study. The ADAPT-Adults study has made significant progress in the first year, including adapting existing protocols to develop a standardized study protocol for evaluating diagnostic accuracy and test acceptability/usability, preparing the study site at De La Salle Health Sciences Institute, and initiating participant enrollment. The study has also developed case report forms (CRFs) and a database, and has established a partnership with the USAID Philippines Country Mission to implement the study throughout the duration of the project. The ESI Program, another key activity of SMART4TB in the Philippines, is designed to support local and country leadership of SMART4TB science, protocols, and outputs. The program aims to provide training and mentorship to early-stage investigators (ESIs) to build their capacity to conduct high-quality research and to lead SMART4TB science, protocols, and outputs. The program has made significant progress in the first year, including establishing a partnership with the USAID Philippines Country Mission and initiating communication with the Philippines. Overall, SMART4TB has made significant progress in the Philippines in the first year, including adapting existing protocols, preparing study sites, initiating participant enrollment, and establishing partnerships with local institutions and the USAID Philippines Country Mission. The project aims to continue its progress in the coming years to achieve its goals of identifying effective methods and tools for finding, treating, and preventing TB and strengthening local capacity to conduct high-quality research.