Wits RHI
Wits RHI is a South African non-profit research institute at the University of the Witwatersrand conducting clinical trials and implementation science in HIV prevention, tuberculosis, vaccines, and maternal health. It serves underserved populations in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa through grant-funded programs delivered via 360 government health facilities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersJohannesburg, South Africa
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Wits RHI does
Wits RHI (Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute) is a non-profit, multidisciplinary health research institute established in 1994 and housed within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. The institute conducts investigator-led and consortia clinical trials across all phases, with core research areas spanning HIV prevention and treatment, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections, vaccine-preventable diseases, maternal and reproductive health, and emerging pandemic preparedness (COVID-19, Mpox, Ebola, influenza). Its technology platform consists of clinical and laboratory infrastructure at the Hillbrow Health Precinct campus, supporting complex multi-phase trials such as the M72/AS01E TB vaccine (Phase 3), HPTN 108 broadly neutralizing antibody study, HOPE II HPV vaccine trial, and BEATRIX Group B Streptococcus vaccine trial, alongside implementation science initiatives like Project PrEP.
Wits RHI does not sell products or services; instead it operates on a managed services revenue model funded almost entirely by grants and donor contributions from international health organizations including Unitaid, the Global Fund, Gates Foundation, and global health partnerships with WHO, Africa CDC, Gavi, and MedAccess. Distribution of health interventions occurs through the South African public health system across 360 government health facilities, supplemented by mobile clinics and community-based organizations, reaching populations including pregnant women, mother-infant pairs, women and adolescent girls, and adults and children living with HIV and TB. With over 1,400 staff, 49 research appointments, and 61 active grants in 2025, the institute functions as a high-volume implementation and evaluation partner for global health product rollouts, most notably the recent Lenacapavir HIV prevention introduction covering 456,000 people through a $29 million Global Fund grant.
The institute's go-to-market motion is community-led: it leverages long-standing trust with underserved populations in inner-city Johannesburg and high-burden districts (Tshwane, Mthatha, Gqeberha, eThekwini) to deliver ethically grounded research. It is one of few institutions in the southern hemisphere engaged in market shaping and regulatory strengthening, positioning itself as a bridge between global pharmaceutical innovators and low- and middle-income country health systems. Pricing is not applicable in the commercial sense; all research outputs are funded upfront by donors and delivered free to study participants and public health beneficiaries.
Wits RHI firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wits RHI
- Legal name
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute
- Website
- https://wrhi.ac.za
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Wits RHI is a South African non-profit research institute at the University of the Witwatersrand conducting clinical trials and implementation science in HIV prevention, tuberculosis, vaccines, and maternal health. It serves underserved populations in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa through grant-funded programs delivered via 360 government health facilities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wits RHI industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Health Research Services
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Disease-Specific Global Initiatives (HIV/TB/Malaria/NTDs) (HLAJAOAE), Real-World Data (RWD) / Real-World Evidence (RWE) & Observational Research Platforms (HLACAOAM)
Keywords
Where Wits RHI is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Johannesburg
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Wits RHI business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Research Grants and Donor Funding: Wits RHI operates primarily through grants from international health organizations and donors including Unitaid, Global Fund, Gates Foundation, and government funding for HIV prevention and research programs
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Wits RHI product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wits RHI is a non-profit health research institute at the University of the Witwatersrand that delivers investigator-led clinical trials and implementation science programs across HIV, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections, vaccine-preventable diseases, and maternal and reproductive health. Its work combines clinical trials, technical assistance, advocacy, and health systems strengthening, with major funded programs including Project PrEP, the M72/AS01E tuberculosis vaccine trial, the HPTN 108/PAUSE study, the HOPE II HPV vaccine study, and the BEATRIX Group B Streptococcus maternal vaccine study.
Product overview
Wits RHI is a health research institute at the University of Witwatersrand that operates research programs and clinical trials rather than commercial products. Its research portfolio includes Project PrEP as the primary implementation science initiative for HIV prevention, supplemented by specialized clinical trials: the M72/AS01E tuberculosis vaccine trial, HOPE II HPV vaccine study, BEATRIX maternal GBS vaccine study, and HPTN 108 broadly neutralizing antibodies study. The institute also supports lenacapavir rollout through the Len4PrEP study. Wits RHI's work spans HIV prevention, treatment, TB, STIs, vaccine-preventable diseases, emerging pandemics, and maternal health.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Project PrEP Unitaid-funded implementation science initiative integrating oral PrEP into comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services for adolescent girls and young women in high-priority communities in South Africa.
- Len4PrEP Study Implementation study evaluating lenacapavir (LEN) for HIV prevention conducted within Project PrEP in Tshwane, with activities continuing into 2027.
- HPTN 108/PAUSE Study Phase 1 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial investigating the safety, antiviral activity, and immunomodulatory effects of broadly neutralizing antibodies 3BNC117-LS-J and 10-1074-LS-J in combination in ART-treated adults in sub-Saharan Africa.
- M72/AS01E Tuberculosis Vaccine Study (Gates MRI-TBV02-301) Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the efficacy, safety, and immune response of the investigational M72/AS01E tuberculosis vaccine in adolescents and adults, building on Phase 2b results showing approximately 50% protection against active pulmonary TB.
- HOPE II Study Double-blind randomized controlled study evaluating the efficacy of a single-dose nonavalent HPV vaccine in preventing persistent HPV infections among women living with HIV who were previously vaccinated against HPV 16/18.
- BEATRIX Study (C1091009) Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the safety, tolerability, and immune response of a Group B Streptococcus (GBS) vaccine (GBS6) administered during pregnancy to protect newborns from invasive GBS disease.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 100% effectiveness in preventing HIV demonstrated in Lenacapavir clinical trials
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Wits RHI
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Wits RHI technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Wits RHI partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- World Health OrganizationcoreActive engagement with WHO on global health policy, guidelines, and implementation strategies
- Africa CDCcorePartnership for continental disease surveillance, outbreak response, and health security strengthening
- GavicoreCollaboration on vaccine introduction and immunization programs for African populations
- International Vaccine InstitutecorePartnership on vaccine development and evaluation for diseases affecting low- and middle-income countries
- Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI)corePartnership on Project PrEP to support country preparedness for Lenacapavir introduction and secure generic access to HIV prevention products for low- and middle-income countries
- Dr Reddy's LaboratoriescorePartnership to secure generic access to HIV prevention products for low- and middle-income countries
- HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN)coreCollaboration on HPTN 108/PAUSE Study investigating broadly neutralizing antibodies for HIV treatment
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Wits RHI competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CAPRISA (Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa): South African research institute conducting HIV/TB clinical trials and vaccine research in KwaZulu-Natal. Directly comparable in disease focus, trial portfolio, and academic-affiliated model.
- Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation: UCT-affiliated HIV prevention research institute in Cape Town with strong community engagement and clinical trial operations. Directly comparable in HIV prevention focus and South African academic research model.
- Aurum Institute: South African health research and implementation NGO focused on HIV, TB, and mining health. Comparable in non-profit research model, donor funding structure, and disease focus.
- KEMRI (Kenya Medical Research Institute): Kenya's national health research institute conducting clinical trials, vaccine research, and public health interventions. Strong peer on African-led infectious disease research model.
- MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit: Joint Uganda-London research unit conducting HIV and vaccine trials in Sub-Saharan Africa. Highly comparable in trial portfolio, viral suppression research, and African academic research model.
Broad incumbents
- South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC): National government health research body funding and conducting health research across South Africa. Comparable in mandate to advance African health research, though broader in scope.
- HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN): Global HIV prevention research network conducting major trials across continents. Wits RHI is a direct partner, and HPTN's network model is comparable for clinical trial capability.
- PATH: Global non-profit advancing health innovation including vaccines, therapeutics, and market shaping. Comparable in market shaping capability and donor-funded global health research model.
- FHI 360: Global development organization with significant HIV prevention and reproductive health research portfolio. Comparable in donor-funded implementation science and global health research delivery.
Emerging players
- Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) Uganda: Makerere University-affiliated clinical research and training center in Uganda. Comparable in academic-affiliated African research model and HIV/TB focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Wits RHI social profiles
Digital presenceWits RHI financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wits RHI leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Wits RHI funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wits RHI M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wits RHI
What does Wits RHI do?
Wits RHI is a non-profit health research institute at the University of the Witwatersrand that delivers investigator-led clinical trials and implementation science programs across HIV, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections, vaccine-preventable diseases, and maternal and reproductive health. Its work combines clinical trials, technical assistance, advocacy, and health systems strengthening, with major funded programs including Project PrEP, the M72/AS01E tuberculosis vaccine trial, the HPTN 108/PAUSE study, the HOPE II HPV vaccine study, and the BEATRIX Group B Streptococcus maternal vaccine study.
Is Wits RHI a public or private company?
Wits RHI is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Wits RHI founded?
Wits RHI was founded in 1994. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Wits RHI based?
Wits RHI is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Wits RHI make money?
One revenue line is on record: research Grants and Donor Funding.
Who are Wits RHI's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CAPRISA (Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa), Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, Aurum Institute, KEMRI (Kenya Medical Research Institute) and MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit. Broad incumbents are South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN), PATH and FHI 360. Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) Uganda is listed as an emerging player.
Does Wits RHI have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wits RHI.
What industry is Wits RHI in?
Wits RHI's product category is Public Health Research Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAKAN, Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations, with a secondary code of HLAJAOAE, Disease-Specific Global Initiatives (HIV/TB/Malaria/NTDs). Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 8731.