In May 2022, under the auspices of WHO’s COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP), MPP signed two licensing agreements with the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the development of 11 innovative therapeutics, early-stage vaccines and diagnostic tools for COVID-19.

Among these COVID-19 technologies is a vaccine candidate:

A VSV-EBOV-Based Vaccine Against COVID-19:

NIAID researchers, using a rhesus macaque study model, have taken the existing federally approved vaccine against Ebola virus (brand name Ervebo) and modified it to also protect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Ervebo uses recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)—which is typically not harmful to people—to deliver an Ebola virus protein in a vaccine to generate immunity. The same research group that helped develop Ervebo has added an immune-generating protein from SARS-CoV-2 that provided protection in its macaque model. This is one of several examples of how NIAID scientists are testing the safe and cost-effective VSV delivery method in pre-clinical animal models to introduce proteins that generate protection from different viruses.

MPP invites interested developers anywhere in the world to express their interest in obtaining a sublicence for any of these technologies by submitting an e-mail to C-TAP-NIH@medicinespatentpool.org providing as much detail as possible as to what the developer intends to do with a sublicence.

Key Features
Aim of the licences To facilitate the manufacture and commercialisation of Covid-19 related health products and vaccines around the world
Technology One licence covers different patents and materials on technologies potentially relevant in the fight against COVID-19. The second licence specifically covers patents on the spike protein.
Products Any product or vaccine that is covered by the Patents or Patent Applications or uses the Licensed Material.
Field of use While one licence on the different technologies is granted for SARS-CoV-2 products for the WHO C-TAP program, the second licence, in relation to spike protein, refers to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines for the WHO C-TAP program.
Territory Worldwide
Term Continuing until the date the last Patent has lapsed, expired, or been invalidated
Scope of the grant Non-exclusive right to grant royalty-bearing sublicences to develop the licensed patents/material into licensed products or vaccines, and to commercialise the licensed products or vaccines
Sublicence MPP invites interested developers anywhere in the world to express their interest in obtaining a sublicence for any of these technologies by submitting an e-mail to C-TAP-NIH@medicinespatentpool.org providing as much detail as possible as to what the developer intends to do with a sublicence
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