What is ICHAPRT?

The International Center for HIV/AIDS Pharmacotherapy Research and Training (ICHAPRT) is an initiative of the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in collaboration with the University of Zimbabwe School of Pharmacy. Through formalized education and training programs and technology transfer initiatives, ICHAPRT seeks to establish methods in developing countries that have been successful in developed countries. Examples of such methods include the promotion of sustainable access to essential drugs (antiretrovirals and other drugs for opportunistic infections) in developing countries, as well as pharmacotherapy research covering topics such as adherence to therapy, clinical pharmacokinetics, pharmacogenomics, adverse drug reactions, and drug interactions.

The collaborative program also aims to provide long term support for the development of research infrastructure that enhances the capacity of the developing country institutions to conduct relevant research on practical and affordable pharmacotherapy interventions in the management of HIV/AIDS in local populations.

ICHAPRT Mission

• To highlight emerging issues in developing countries and participate in research and information dissemination activities aimed at
• Promoting rational distribution and use of HIV/AIDS and other essential drugs in resource limited settings through research in pharmacoeconomics, pharmacogenomics, pharmacoinformatics and pharmacoepidemiology
• Providing therapeutic precision assurance in resource limited settings through
• Promotion of access to good quality drugs by means of pre and post-marketing bio-equivalence surveillance systems aimed at detecting substandard and counterfeit products
• Promotion of patients’ adherence to therapy
• Provision of therapeutic drug monitoring, drug interaction, and adverse drug reaction monitoring services
• Conduction of innovative clinical research in the areas of applied pharmacotherapy, drug therapy management, pharmacokinetics, clinical pharmacology and therapeutics

Key priorities of the ICHAPRT include

• Use of facilities that include established programs in drug procurement, medication adherence support, and management of HIV-infected patients to facilitate implementation of similar initiatives in resource poor settings
• Promotion of intellectual and technology transfer through sequential visits between the collaborating institutions to allow for rapid implementation of shared pharmacotherapy initiatives
• Collaboration among individuals with common areas of research interest to foster an interactive environment that stimulates grant submission and innovative research methods
• Didactic and research training for doctoral and post-doctoral candidates seeking to pursue careers in pharmacotherapy research
• High quality drug development (pre-clinical, Phase I-III) environment and a clinical infrastructure for optimizing the therapeutic use of pharmacologic agents during the post-approval period (Phase IV)
• Clinical research in an ethical manner focusing on the protection of human subjects, with operating procedures that conform with international standards for the conduct of clinical trials and analytical laboratory programs in accordance with Good Laboratory and Clinical Practice
• Exchange of research ideas through a regular seminar program with presentations by faculty as well as national and international visiting scholars.

ICHAPRT Resources & Facilities

Zimbabwe A Clinical Pharmacokinetics Laboratory exists in the Drug and Toxicology Information Service (DaTIS), Pharmacy Department in the University of Zimbabwe Medical School. The service provides TDM consultancy for aminoglycosides, anticonvulsants, cyclosporine, digoxin, and toxicology of abused substances.

United States The University at Buffalo ’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences offers opportunities and tools for post-doctoral specialty training in HIV Pharmacotherapy through Preceptorship, Residency and Fellowship Programs.

The Pharmacotherapy Research Center ’s Core Analytical Laboratory at the University at Buffalo , School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has implemented a web-based clinical research mechanism for evaluating drug concentrations in complex HAART regimens utilizing a TDM research approach. The laboratory is certified by the New York State Department of Health and is a Pharmacology Support Laboratory for the AIDS Clinical Trials Group Network.

Academic Collaborations

• School of Pharmacy in the College of Medicine , University of Zimbabwe
• School Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo , USA
• School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo
• School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester