Antivirals
Herbal COVID-19 antivirals
Developing antiviral interventions from local medicinal plants and their endophytes, screening for activity against SARS-CoV-2.
National Research Fund · Republic of Kenya
Kenya's natural products, harnessed to fight COVID-19 and respiratory infections.
The COVID-19 Drug Development and Trials Research Consortium brings six institutions together to validate and develop natural medicinal products, food supplements and technologies that strengthen Kenya's healthcare system.
Who we are
Home-grown solutions to African health challenges
Lower respiratory infections rank among the leading causes of death in Kenya, and the COVID-19 pandemic placed further strain on an already burdened healthcare system. Kenya is endowed with abundant medicinal flora used by communities for generations — but these options have rarely been validated for safety or efficacy.
Our consortium coordinates six institutions to scientifically validate and develop those natural products, integrate quality-assured traditional medicine into the national healthcare system, and build a national platform for natural product research.
- Develop safe natural medicinal products and food supplements
- Validate existing remedies and confirm safety for use
- Deliver a copper-based antimicrobial spray and protective equipment
- Build a mobile app to integrate alternative medicine into mainstream care
Our research
Six connected research projects
From antiviral herbal formulations and immune-boosting supplements to antimicrobial sprays, functional foods and policy reform — every project feeds a single national platform.
Supplements
Immune-regulatory supplements
Harnessing indigenous edible herbs and vegetables to produce affordable, natural immunity-boosting supplements.
Safety & Standards
Ethnopharmacology & standardisation
Documenting remedies, establishing quality fingerprints and building a regulated evidence base for integration into care.
Infection control
Antimicrobial sprays & PPE
Formulating copper-plant extract biocides and sprays to disinfect surfaces and personal protective equipment.
Functional foods
Mushroom-based functional foods
Producing nutritious, easy-to-distribute Smart® food products from activated edible mushrooms for vulnerable populations.
Policy & Technology
Integration, policy & mobile app
Reviewing fragmented guidelines and building the technology that connects clinicians, healers and the public.
A national collaboration
Six institutions, one mission
Coordinated by KEMRI and funded by the National Research Fund, the consortium unites five universities and a national research institute — working alongside the Herbalists Society of Kenya.
Latest
News & events
Event
Symposium on traditional healers in research
Kenyatta University hosted the consortium's first stakeholder consultative symposium with the Herbalists Society of Kenya.
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News
KEMRI hosts the COVID-19 drug consortium
The consortium received over Ksh 50 million in seed funding from the National Research Fund for COVID-19 drug development.
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Research
Mapping medicinal plants with communities
Researchers and local herbalists survey medicinal plants, vegetables and mushrooms with potential to mitigate COVID-19.
Read more →Partner with us
We welcome collaborators, researchers, investors and institutions working to bring safe, evidence-based natural products into mainstream healthcare.