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 technology for vaccine development:
Prefusion coronavirus spike proteins and SARS-CoV-2 prefusion spike proteins and their use:
NIAID scientists and their academic collaborators invented a molecular engineering approach for stabilising the spike protein of any coronavirus. The spike protein enables coronavirus particles to infect human cells. The strategy, based on previous related research on HIV and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), involves locking the spike protein into a prefusion conformation, or shape. Stabilising coronavirus’ spike proteins makes them potent and precise immunogens for use in vaccines. NIH was issued a patent for this invention, which covers specific mutations to stabilise pre-fusion coronavirus spike proteins. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was stabilised using this patented molecular engineering approach. NIH has licensed this pivotal technology to various companies worldwide for use in their COVID-19 vaccine products.
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.
Press and Media
The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) is a United Nations-backed public health organisation working to increase access to and facilitate the development of life-saving medicines for low- and middle-income countries. Through its innovative business model, MPP partners with civil society, governments, international organisations, industry, patient groups, and other stakeholders to prioritise and license needed medicines and pool intellectual property to encourage generic manufacture and the development of new formulations.
To date, MPP has signed agreements with 22 patent holders for 13 HIV antiretrovirals, one HIV technology platform, three hepatitis C direct-acting antivirals, a tuberculosis treatment, a cancer treatment, four long-acting technologies, a post-partum haemorrhage medicine, three oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19 and 16 COVID-19 technologies.
MPP was founded by Unitaid, which continues to be MPP’s main funder. MPP’s work on access to essential medicines is also funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Government of Canada, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Government of Flanders. MPP’s activities in COVID-19 are undertaken with the financial support of the Japanese Government, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the German Agency for International Cooperation, and SDC.