The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) is a UN-backed international public health organisation dedicated to increasing access to essential medicines and health technologies in low- and middle-income countries. MPP works with partners to license these medicines and technologies through its innovative business model, encouraging the development of new formulations and the expansion of generic manufacturing markets.
Because nearly 2 billion people, more than a quarter of the world’s population, cannot access high-quality essential medicines.
In 2023 almost 40 million people across the world were living with HIV, and around 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes.
Between 2019 and 2022, annual mortality from hepatitis rose by 200,000 to 1.3 million. It will soon be the world's deadliest infectious disease.
An estimated 10.8 million people worldwide fell ill with tuberculosis in 2023, and 1.25 million people died from the condition.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) killed at least 43 million people in 2021, equivalent to 75% of global non-pandemic-related deaths.
In 2020, 800 women died every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, equivalent to one death every two minutes.
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From sales of medicines to impact on peoples’ lives, the MPP’s work is a game-changer in the access to treatments space.
Key areas of particular interest to MPP’s work.
MPP’s work is made possible by its funders, enabling greater access to life-saving treatments worldwide.
“The Medicines Patent Pool was established as a landmark initiative to expand access to treatments for priority diseases. Over the last decade, MPP has become a strong partner in global health, working to facilitate access to HIV and hepatitis C medicines in low- and middle-income countries through voluntary licensing and patent pooling. With its impressive track record, MPP has a critical role to play in making affordable versions of patented essential medicines and technologies available to those who need it the most, including for COVID-19.”
“The creation fo the Medicines Patent Pool by Unitaid ten years ago enabled the production of generics that treat tens of millions of people around the world. This led to important successes such as an annual treatment for HIV/AIDS for less than USD 70 in Africa, instead of USD 10,000 in Europe. Today, maybe more than ever, we need MPP’s model to help pharmaceutical companies license their rights on a voluntary basis and continue to save lives.”
Discover where we helped and what we have achieved
Patent and licensing status: last updated on 1st October 2023. Disclaimer | Product availability data from MPP sublicensees: last updated in December 2024 (data as of 30th September 2024) | Note: Sales may occur in countries in the absence of registration via procurement channels, registration waivers and/or exemptions
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