ECRAID

Infectious diseases pose a serious threat to European citizens and economies. Of particular concern are pathogens that have the potential to cause major epidemics or even pandemics and for which no effective treatments and/or vaccines are available. The frequency and impact of these (re-) emerging infectious diseases have been amplified by global trends such as population growth, increases in trade and travel, urbanisation, deforestation, and climate change. The current COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented public health measures across the globe. Meanwhile, the scientific research community is developing epidemiological intelligence, diagnostics, vaccines and antiviral treatments to reduce the impact of COVID-19.

Visit the ECRAID website

What is ECRAID?


European Clinical Research Alliance on Infectious Diseases

ECRAID is a European clinical research network conducting perpetual observational studies, warm-base trials, and adaptive platform trials to generate evidence to improve diagnosis, prevention and treatment of infections and to improve the European response to future threats of emerging infectious diseases such as COVID-19. The perpetual observational studies include a selection of sites that will continuously enrol patients and collect outcomes for targeted infectious diseases or infectious disease syndromes. The warm-base trials are based on a master protocol for diagnosing and treating patients in a specific perpetual observational study to evaluate multiple new drugs for infectious diseases. The adaptive platform trials allow the study of multiple therapies, with therapies entering and leaving the platform based on a decision algorithm.

Supportive to the studies are four platforms; LAB for laboratory support, DATA for data management and innovative epidemiological and statistical research, TRAIN for training and PREP for improving responsiveness to new public health threats.

In ECRAID, Penta will provide the paediatric expertise for the development of the business plan by liaising with the Penta ID network.

Why is ECRAID needed?


The project’s vision is to establish a coordinated and permanent European infrastructure for clinical research on infectious diseases. Utilising a network,  built on the foundations laid by COMBACTE, which includes more than 950 clinical care sites, and PREPARE‘s primary care sites, ECRAID will be able to conduct clinical research faster and easier. Moreover, ECRAID will have rapid access to and knowledge of well-developed clinical and laboratory sites. Studies will be conducted continuously, allowing them to improve experience and knowledge.

ECRAID aims to protect public health by generating rigorous evidence to improve diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. The mission is to cultivate world-class research to protect citizens of Europe against antimicrobial resistance and infectious diseases over the long-term.

What is ECRAID’s goal?


The goal of ECRAID is to establish an Organised, Prepared, Engaged, Resourced, Active, Trained, Extensive and Sustainable (OPERATES) warm-base clinical research network for infectious diseases in Europe. The intended outcome is for Europe to have a permanent, single-access clinical research infrastructure that will offer superior clinical research services. The project aims to protect public health by generating rigorous evidence to improve diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. The mission is to cultivate world-class research to protect citizens of Europe against antimicrobial resistance and infectious diseases over the long-term.

ECRAID-Base kicks off

ECRAID-Base Launches European Clinical Research Alliance

ECRAID-Base Launches European Clinical Research Alliance

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 825715.