CoMeCT, short for Coordination Mechanism for Cohorts and Trials, is a new EU-funded project aiming to strengthen European preparedness and response capacity for future health emergencies. Over the next three years, CoMeCT will act as a coordination platform bringing together European cohort studies and adaptive trials on infectious diseases with epidemic potential, allowing them to act collectively and more efficiently.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for agile research networks that can quickly implement robust clinical research to improve patient care, inform public health measures and better support regulatory decisions. Unfortunately, the current research landscape across Europe is still fragmented. To prevent duplication of efforts and maximise impacts, there is need for a strong coordination mechanism connecting trials, cohorts, clinicians and other stakeholders.
CoMeCT will provide such a mechanism by overseeing and facilitating dialogue among cohorts and trials, highlighting gaps in research, promoting exchange of best practices and harmonising clinical research efforts.
Penta will play an important role in CoMeCT by co-leading the Cohort Coordination Board (CCB) and the Outbreak Response Board (ORB), two key bodies overseeing the project’s activities. Additionally, cohort studies under VERDI, one of Penta’s projects focusing on the impact of mpox and SARS-CoV-2 variants on vulnerable populations, will be represented in the CCB. Penta and VERDI’s involvement in CoMeCT will ensure that children, pregnant people and other high-risk groups are prioritised in clinical research impacting future pandemic planning.
CoMeCT will closely collaborate with policy-makers and emergency preparedness mechanisms at EU and international levels, such as Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HERA) at the European Commission, the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). This collaboration with health policy- and decision-makers will ensure alignment between policy priorities and research activities, and provide a timely and coordinated response in the event of future pandemics.
The CoMeCT Consortium is coordinated by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and includes six partner institutions: European Clinical Research Alliance on Infectious Diseases (Ecraid, The Netherlands), European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (ECRIN, France), University of Verona (Italy), Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM, France), University of Cologne (Germany), and the Penta Foundation (Italy).
CoMeCT has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Grant Agreement No 101136531.