Strive - An international network of clinical trials
Strive is an international network of clinical trials on infectious respiratory threats and viral emergences funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Last updated on 17 June 2025
In brief
- The Strategies and Treatments for Respiratory Infections and Viral Emergencies (Strive) network was created in 2023 to address the need for a sustainable global clinical trials network.
- The network must be ready to conduct rigorous trials evaluating treatments for pathogens likely to cause infectious emergencies.
- It brings together nine international coordination centres, including ANRS MIE, across 40 countries and six continents.
Strive was launched in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in the footsteps of Insight – the International Network for Strategic Initiatives in Global HIV Trials. It brings together nine international coordination centres, including ANRS MIE, across 40 countries, six continents, and over 300 clinical trial sites.
Strive brings together a network of experienced investigators with up to 30 years’ experience in global clinical research, initially in HIV and influenza – including the Start and Smart trials, and more recently in emerging infections such as COVID-19. Its teams and entities are located throughout the world. ANRS MIE is the international coordination centre for France and the member countries of its own International network.
The network is committed to actively including low- and middle-income countries in order to fill a critical gap in the global clinical trials ecosystem. Strive operates through an expert statistical and data management centre based at the University of Minnesota, USA.
The STRIVE international clinical trials network
Strive three core missions
- Respond quickly and effectively to health threats related to emerging infectious diseases.
- Conduct clinical trials of high methodological quality, in accordance with ethical standards, and using innovative approaches.
- Collaborate with various stakeholders and organisations to ensure an effective impact on care.
The role of ANRS MIE
ANRS MIE is the International Coordination Centre (ICC) for France and for the member countries of its own International network. As an ICC, ANRS EID has mobilised French hospital sites under the coordination of the EUCLID-MART Methodology and Management Centre (MMC), as well as sites from its international network, such as Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea – under the coordination of the MMC MEREVA, to contribute to this unique network.
Strive in figures
2023
Setup of the network
6
continents
40
countries
+ 300
clinical trial sites
Introducing Strive: An international network of clinical trials in infectious diseases
Strive’s work on pathogens – priority for fighting pandemics – is an example of international cooperation in which the United States is a key stakeholder. The network’s research is for the most part funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The data are all analysed by the University of Minnesota, with their standardisation constituting a major challenge in the facilitation of their use.
News – Ongoing and upcoming trials – April 2025
- Two ongoing trials are evaluating an anti-viral agent (ensitrelvir) and an immunomodulator (abatacept), respectively, in hospitalised patients with COVID-19.Both have been on hold since 8 April 2025, following the funding cuts announced by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
- The Immuno-Compromised Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (IC-SARI) observational study is currently being set up and is expected to involve around fifty sites worldwide. Its aim is to describe the pathogens causing acute respiratory infection in hospitalised immunocompromised adults. The study is led by French researcher, Prof. Linda Wittkop.
- Two other trials are being prepared:
– one will look at the efficacy of corticosteroids in patients with respiratory viruses (STAR trials);
– and the other at the efficacy of antiviral treatments in patients with dengue. For the latter, various sites of the ANRS MIE International network have been proposed, particularly in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea.