Oak Crest Institute of Science More Inspired Than Ever Following 2024 MATRIX Investigators Meeting in Nairobi

MONROVIA, Calif., Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Oak Crest Institute of Science (Oak Crest) proudly participated in the 2024 MATRIX Investigators Meeting last month in Nairobi, Kenya, where global leaders in HIV prevention gathered under the theme "Building Bridges to the Future."

Hosted by MATRIX, a five-year program funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), that meeting was a nexus for advancing innovative HIV prevention products, particularly for adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa. It created a dynamic platform for funders, researchers, and stakeholders to collaborate on developing safe, effective, and affordable solutions that can be scaled and delivered where needed most.

Four Oak Crest researchers participated in the meeting and provided updates on the OneRing?a dual-purpose product containing a non-antiretroviral agent and a non-hormonal contraceptive for the prevention of both HIV and unplanned pregnancy, being developed under MATRIX.

"We were excited to showcase the OneRing and its potential to address two critical needs simultaneously?HIV prevention and prevention of unintended pregnancies?with the use of totally novel agents," said Dr. Marc Baum, Senior Faculty at Oak Crest, and Principal Investigator of the OneRing project. "This innovative intravaginal ring has the potential to transform HIV prevention efforts, especially for young women in sub-Saharan Africa, by providing a practical solution to urgent health needs."

Though not related, a standout moment was the presentation by Drs. Thembela Sonti and Kanyisile Mhlana, post-doctoral fellows from the Holistic Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3D) at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, who had spent four months in Southern California working with Oak Crest scientists to develop novel flow chemistry methods for the synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in anti-HIV products. They are now installing a flow reactor at UCT to enable this work to continue, with the goal being the capacity for API manufacturing to take place in Africa.

Development of the spin synthesis process for technology transfer and cost-effective manufacturing of APIs in Africa is the aim of an Independent Special Project funded by USAID through MATRIX, which is being led by Prof. Kelly Chibale, founder and director of H3D, and being conducted as a partnership involving H3D, CPT Pharma in South Africa, KinetiChem based in Los Angeles, and Oak Crest. Drs. Sonti and Mhlana were recognized for their pivotal roles in building the link between South Africa and California with the special "Building Bridges to the Future" award they received at the close of the investigators meeting. 

MATRIX unites organizations and researchers from the United States, Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, all committed to providing women, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa, with a diverse array of HIV prevention options.

Founded in 1988, the Oak Crest Institute is a non-profit innovative chemistry and biology research and education center that as part of its mission is focused on cultivating the next generation of scientists by allowing students at all levels the opportunities to gain hands-on experience in the conduct of laboratory research. Oak Crest remains dedicated to MATRIX and its global partners.

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SOURCE Oak Crest Institute of Science