AAU CDT Africa

What AAU CDT Africa does

CDT-Africa (Center for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa) is a World Bank-supported Africa Centre of Excellence established in 2016 within the College of Health Sciences at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. The organization operates as an academic research center with three integrated business lines: (1) a Clinical Trials Unit (CCTU) delivering fee-for-service trial management, biostatistics, data management, scientific writing, pharmacovigilance, Phase I studies, and economic evaluation to investigators, institutions, and pharmaceutical sponsors; (2) an education portfolio anchored by a competency-based 10-week online ClinOps training course ($2,000 USD per participant), an MSc in Clinical Trials (since 2019, currently pursuing AHPGS international accreditation), a PhD in Translational Medicine, postdoctoral fellowships, and short courses in GCP/research ethics; and (3) an investigator-initiated research portfolio covering SELFTB (electronic pillbox for TB), GT Biopatch (Gates-funded wireless neonatal wearable with Georgia Tech), PROFORMA (EDCTP-funded pharmacovigilance consortium across six countries), SPARK (NIHR-funded WHO Caregiver Skills Training in Kenya/Ethiopia), and mental health trials (PTSD feasibility, IPV psychosocial intervention).

Its go-to-market is institutional rather than commercial: customers include African academic and research institutions, clinical trial investigators and sponsors, national regulatory authorities (Ethiopian FDA/EFDA, Ethiopian MOH), and healthcare providers in mental health and NCDs. Demand is captured through direct institutional partnerships, a self-serve online training platform, and participation in conferences and peer-reviewed publications. Revenue is overwhelmingly grant-funded — World Bank (ACE II anchor), EDCTP, NIHR, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Fogarty International Center/NIH, and NIAID — with fee income from training representing a small share of inflows. Faculty are senior AAU professors (Fekadu, Makonnen, Hailu, Woldeamanuel) with publication records of 65-229+ peer-reviewed papers each, supplemented by adjunct affiliations with King's College London, Edinburgh, Stellenbosch, and OSU. The center has trained more than 430 site staff across 24 countries since 2017, with course completion rates improving from 81% in 2021/22 to 95% in 2025.

Name

AAU CDT Africa

Legal name

Center for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa

Website

https://cdt-africa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CDT-Africa is a World Bank-supported Africa Centre of Excellence at Addis Ababa University that delivers clinical trial services (trial management, biostatistics, pharmacovigilance, Phase I studies), competency-based training (ClinOps, MSc Clinical Trials, PhD), and investigator-initiated research in TB, mental health, neonatal care, and pharmacovigilance for African institutions and sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical Research Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical Trial Monitoring Support (On-site/Remote) (HLAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Site Data Management Support (EDC/Source/SDV Readiness) (HLAGACAL), Clinical Quality Assurance (GCP QA, TMF/QMS oversight) (HLAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Clinical trial services
• Clinical research training
• Pharmacovigilance capacity building
• Medical discovery research
• Drug development education

Headquarters

HQ city

Addis Ababa

HQ country

Ethiopia

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Education and Training Programs: CDT-Africa generates revenue through educational programs including a 10-week ClinOps training course ($2,000 USD per participant), MSc in Clinical Trials (running since 2019), PhD programs in Translational Medicine, postdoctoral fellowships, and short courses in GCP, research ethics, systematic review, and qualitative data analysis. Revenue is supplemented by funding support provided to participants based on need.
2. Clinical Research Services: The center provides fee-for-service clinical trial support including trial management, biostatistics, scientific writing, data management, pharmacovigilance, economic evaluation, and Phase I studies to investigators, institutions, and pharmaceutical organizations.
3. World Bank and International Funder Grants: CDT-Africa is a World Bank-supported Africa Centre of Excellence, with substantial funding from EDCTP, NIHR, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other international bodies supporting specific research projects and capacity-building initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CDT-Africa (Center for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa) is a World Bank-supported Centre of Excellence under Addis Ababa University that operates a Clinical Trials Unit (CCTU) providing fee-for-service clinical research support — including trial management, biostatistics, data management, scientific writing, pharmacovigilance, Phase I studies, and economic evaluations — to investigators, institutions and pharmaceutical sponsors. It also delivers structured education and capacity-building programs (ClinOps 10-week online course, MSc in Clinical Trials, PhD in Translational Medicine, postdoctoral fellowships, short courses) and conducts investigator-initiated clinical studies on diseases prevalent in Africa.

Product overview

AAU CDT Africa operates as a unified portfolio of clinical research, education, and capacity-building offerings under a single organizational umbrella. The core entity is CDT-Africa (Center for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa), a World Bank-supported Centre of Excellence under Addis Ababa University, which houses the CCTU (Clinical Trials Unit) as its operational arm. CCTU delivers clinical trial services including trial management, biostatistics, data management, scientific writing, Phase I studies, pharmacovigilance, and economic evaluation. The ClinOps sub-brand provides a standalone 10-week internationally accredited online training program for clinical trial staff across Africa. Research projects (SELFTB, PTSD, GT Biopatch, SPARK, PROFORMA, IPV) are investigator-initiated studies conducted under the CCTU umbrella. Education programs (MSc, PhD, postdoctoral fellowships, short courses) are offered through CDT-Africa. All offerings share the mission of strengthening clinical trial capacity and medical discovery in Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ClinOps: A 10-week, high-quality, interactive, internationally accredited online training course designed to equip clinical trial professionals across Africa with practical knowledge and skills. Hosted by CDT-Africa at Addis Ababa University.
• MSc Clinical Trials

Products and services

• Clinical Data Management Services End-to-end clinical data management services including EDC system design and maintenance, eCRF development, validation testing, medical coding using MedDRA and WHODD, SAE reconciliation, data query management, and database lock — delivered by the CCTU to investigators and sponsors across all clinical trial phases.
• Biostatistics Services Biostatistics services for Phase I-IV clinical trials and health surveys, covering sample size calculations, protocol statistical input, randomization schemes, statistical analysis plans, statistical analysis, and customized reports — delivered to investigators, institutions, and sponsors.
• Trial Management Services Comprehensive trial management covering regulatory submission, contracts management, site selection assistance, site initiation visits, monitoring services, ethics applications, trial master file management, SOP preparation, and staff training — provided to investigators and sponsors in Africa.
• Scientific Writing Services Clinical research document generation services including study protocols, case report forms, investigator brochures, participant materials, data management plans, clinical study reports, abstracts, manuscripts, and presentations — delivered to investigators and institutions.
• Phase I Clinical Studies Phase I clinical trial facility purpose-designed for the conduct of early-phase clinical research, hosted within the CCTU at AAU College of Health Sciences and offered to investigators, institutions and pharmaceutical sponsors requiring on-continent access to early-phase infrastructure.
• Pharmacovigilance Services Pharmacovigilance services including SAE report management and annual safety report preparation for research ethics committees, DSMBs, and regulatory authorities — delivered by the CCTU.
• Economic Evaluation Services Economic evaluation services conducted alongside clinical trials — for investigators and institutions seeking value-of-intervention evidence in African health system contexts.
• ClinOps 10-Week Clinical Operations Training A 10-week, high-quality, interactive, internationally accredited online course designed to equip clinical trial site staff (study coordinators, investigators, research nurses, biostatisticians) across Africa with practical knowledge and skills across the full clinical trial lifecycle — from study design through pharmacovigilance, anchored in the WHO/TDR Core Competency Framework. Priced at USD $2,000 per participant with need-based funding support.
• MSc in Clinical Trials Master's degree program in Clinical Trials providing African students with theoretical and practical understanding of clinical trial design, conduct, analysis, and interpretation — currently undergoing AHPGS accreditation. Offered through CDT-Africa at AAU.
• PhD in Translational Medicine Doctoral training program in Translational Medicine for African PhD candidates focused on drug, vaccine, diagnostic, and complex intervention development pathways, offered through CDT-Africa at AAU.
• Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Postdoctoral fellowship placements in medical discovery research and translational medicine for African researchers, hosted at CDT-Africa within AAU.
• Short Courses (GCP, Research Ethics, Systematic Review, Qualitative Data Analysis) Standalone short courses in Good Clinical Practice (GCP), research ethics, systematic review methodology, and qualitative data analysis — targeting individual African researchers and site staff.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of ClinOps course completers also complete the post-course assessment
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Addis Ababa UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAddis Ababa University is the host institution of CDT-Africa. The center is under the College of Health Sciences, AAU. AAU provides infrastructure, faculty appointments, and academic program administration including the MSc in Clinical Trials and PhD in Translational Medicine.
• BVGH (BioVentures for Global Health)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBVGH is listed as a partner organization supporting CDT-Africa's mission to strengthen global health through innovative clinical research and capacity building.
• Africa CDCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrica CDC's Acting Director of Science & Innovation visited CDT-Africa's Africa Bio-Hub Laboratories in June 2025. CDT-Africa participates in Africa CDC's Regional Capability and Capacity Networks (RCCNs) focusing on workforce development and R&D, contributing to continental health security initiatives.
• Makerere University (MAK), UgandacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMakerere University is a key African partner in the CDT-Africa network, collaborating on clinical research, training, and capacity building across the East African region.
• Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), TanzaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMUHAS collaborates with CDT-Africa on regional capacity building and clinical research training programs in East Africa.
• University of Zambia (UNZA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNZA is a partner university in the CDT-Africa network, contributing to collaborative clinical research and educational programs across Africa.
• University of Malawi (UNIMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNIMA participates in CDT-Africa's collaborative network for clinical research capacity building in Southern Africa.
• Mekelle University (MUST), EthiopiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMUST is an Ethiopian partner university collaborating with CDT-Africa on research and training initiatives.
• King's College London (KCL), UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf. Charlotte Hanlon from King's College London serves as Associate Faculty of CDT-Africa. KCL collaborates on mental health research including trials for severe mental disorders in Ethiopia, contributing expertise in global mental health and task-shared care models.
• University of Edinburgh, UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf. Charlotte Hanlon holds a position at the University of Edinburgh's Institute for Neuroscience & Cardiovascular Research. The institution collaborates on mental health intervention research in Ethiopia.
• NovartisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNovartis is listed as a partner organization supporting CDT-Africa's pharmaceutical research and development activities.
• Mayo ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMayo Clinic is a partner organization contributing to CDT-Africa's clinical research network and knowledge exchange.
• PATHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPATH is listed as a partner organization supporting CDT-Africa's health innovation and technology development initiatives.
• University of British Columbia (UBC), CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUBC is an international academic partner in the CDT-Africa network, contributing to collaborative research and training programs.
• University of California SystemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of California system is listed as a partner in CDT-Africa's international research collaboration network.
• Karolinska Institutet (KI), SwedenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKarolinska Institutet is an international academic partner in the CDT-Africa network, contributing to collaborative clinical research and capacity building.
• Technical University of Denmark (DTU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDTU is listed as a technical university partner in the CDT-Africa collaboration network.
• Bahir Dar University (BDU), EthiopiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBDU is an Ethiopian university partner in the CDT-Africa network, collaborating on academic and research activities.
• University of Gondar (UG), EthiopiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Gondar is a partner Ethiopian university in the CDT-Africa collaboration network.
• Jimma University (JU), EthiopiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJimma University is an Ethiopian partner university collaborating with CDT-Africa on research and training.
• Emory University, USAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmory University is listed as an international partner in the CDT-Africa network, contributing to collaborative research initiatives.
• Ohio State University (OSU), USAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio State University is a partner institution. Dr. Getnet Yimer serves as Regional Director for Global One Health Initiative of OSU in Eastern Africa.
• Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), ChinaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSJTU is an international academic partner in the CDT-Africa collaboration network.
• Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI), EthiopiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAHRI collaborates with CDT-Africa on infectious disease research, leishmaniasis research and treatment, and ethics review committees. Prof. Asrat Hailu established leishmaniasis research and treatment centers in collaboration with AHRI.
• Ethiopian Ministry of Health (MOH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEthiopian MOH collaborates with CDT-Africa on capacity building workshops for evidence-informed health policymaking and national health research initiatives.
• Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEFDA (formerly EFMHACA) works with CDT-Africa on the PROFORMA project for pharmacovigilance infrastructure building and post-marketing surveillance system capacity in East Africa. CDT-Africa serves on national advisory committees of the Ethiopian FDA.
• Indiana University (IUCEA), USAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIUCEA (ACE II coordination unit) supports the ACE II project under which CDT-Africa operates, facilitating coordination across African Centers of Excellence.
• Georgia Institute of Technology, USAcoreTechnology or IntegrationGeorgia Tech researchers developed the GT Biopatch wireless nanomembrane wearable device for neonate monitoring. CDT-Africa is conducting feasibility studies in Ethiopia to assess the device's safety and usability in an Ethiopian clinical care setting.
• Global Health Clinical Consortium (GHCC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Dawit Ejigu serves on the training working group of the GHCC and its working group for scaling up decentralized clinical trials in LMICs, enabling CDT-Africa to contribute to global clinical trial methodology development.
• Stellenbosch University, South AfricaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Merga Bilena holds an Extraordinary Senior Lecturer position at Stellenbosch University and received postdoctoral training in Biostatistics there. The institutions collaborate on statistical training and research.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research: University of Ghana-based biomedical research institute with active clinical trials, laboratory diagnostics, and graduate training — comparable to CDT-Africa as a West/Central African university-anchored clinical research center with international funder relationships.
• Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI): Kenya's national medical research institute with a broad clinical trials portfolio, graduate training programs, and international funder relationships — operates at greater scale but shares CDT-Africa's mission of African-led clinical research and capacity building.
• Ifakara Health Institute: Tanzanian health research institute conducting clinical trials, training, and implementation research across infectious disease, maternal/child health, and health systems — a regional peer with comparable CRO and training functions and overlap with PROFORMA consortium work.
• Wits Health Consortium: University of the Witwatersrand entity providing clinical trial management, data management, and regulatory services to academic and industry sponsors — analogous academic-CRO model to CDT-Africa's CCTU, though operating at significantly larger scale in South Africa.
• MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM: Africa-based clinical research center operating under the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine with deep capacity building, Phase I-IV trial conduct, and training programs — directly comparable to CDT-Africa's CRO-style services and graduate training portfolio.
• Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme: Long-standing African clinical research partnership combining Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine with Malawi research infrastructure, conducting translational and clinical trials plus postgraduate training — closely mirrors CDT-Africa's academic CRO + degree program model.

Regional players

• African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC): Pan-African research institution generating evidence on population health and training African researchers — adjacent in mission (African-led health research, training, policy influence) and continent-wide geographic scope.

Emerging players

• Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi): Product development partnership conducting clinical research on treatments for neglected diseases prevalent in Africa and LMICs — mission-aligned with CDT-Africa's drug development and African-population focus, with overlapping clinical trial partnerships but a different operating model.

Broad incumbents

• South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC): National medical research council with significantly larger scope, infrastructure, and funding base than CDT-Africa — broadly comparable institutional category but operating at national-scale incumbent level across all health research.

Others

• European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP): European-funded partnership that funds African clinical trials and capacity building — listed as a CDT-Africa funder and consortium partner; not a direct competitor but an ecosystem enabler whose funding priorities directly shape CDT-Africa's research pipeline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aau-cdt-africa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about AAU CDT Africa