The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) was established in 2003 and is a public-public partnership between countries in Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa, and the European Union. The programme aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as well as other poverty-related and neglected infectious diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on phase II and III clinical trials.

EDCTP’s second programme (2014-2024) supports all clinical trial phases (I-IV) including health services optimisation research. Research and regulatory capacity development remain integrated in the research funding strategy in order to strengthen the conditions for conducting clinical research in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The EDCTP programme is executed through partnerships between European and African institutions and researchers in collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry and like-minded organisations.

The programme is implemented as part of the European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020, and governed by the participating African and European countries.