First consortium annual meeting in Madrid, June 2024

The MPX-RESPONSE consortium gathered in Madrid on June 20th and 21st for a pivotal meeting, providing an opportunity to present the initial findings from our ongoing work. Key highlights included preliminary results from the MOSAIC cohort, sponsored by the University of Oxford and with ANRS-MIE as sponsor representative in the EU.

During the meeting, Work Package leaders outlined the next steps and detailed the forthcoming project phases. The event also positioned our project within a broader global context, focusing on other tecovirimat studies worldwide and discussing collaboration opportunities. Professor Placide Mbala, Principal Investigator of the PALM007 study and a member of our advisory board, attended in person and shared the challenges of conducting the first effectiveness study of tecovirimat in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a region currently facing an epidemic.

The program also featured insights on potential future public health policies. Our Dutch partners presented interesting findings from a study in the Netherlands, examining the impact of smallpox vaccination on mpox transmission in their country.

The meeting successfully refocused our partners on upcoming milestones and facilitated in-person introductions, fostering better future collaboration. Overall, the event deepened alignment among consortium members as we advance towards our shared goals.