The Medicines Patent Pool and the United States Agency for International Development Sign Memorandum of Understanding
2 November 2017
Geneva, 02 November 2017 — The Medicines Patent Pool and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate the introduction of quality, affordable new medicines for diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries.
The two parties currently collaborate as part of the OPTIMIZE consortium, supported by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and dedicated to rapidly improving treatment outcomes for people living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries.
The USAID-MPP partnership aims to facilitate the development and early introduction of better-formulated antiretrovirals, including those prioritized by OPTIMIZE. The MPP and USAID will coordinate efforts on market intelligence, supplier engagement and technical support in key PEPFAR countries. The MoU also envisions the two parties working together in other areas to address access to medicines issues for HIV as well as for other select diseases in the future.
The MPP’s HIV, hepatitis C and tuberculosis activities are fully funded by Unitaid. USAID and Unitaid are collaborating to accelerate access to optimal antiretroviral regimens for people living with HIV. This collaboration supports a number of projects to develop and introduce better, more affordable treatments in low- and middle-income countries. The Project Advisory Committee (PAC) established by Unitaid and USAID is currently convening in Washington D.C. The committee brings together partners to find new ways to optimise treatments for HIV.
Access the press release in Spanish
About the Medicines Patent Pool
The Medicines Patent Pool is a United Nations-backed public health organisation working to increase access to HIV, hepatitis C and tuberculosis treatments in low- and middle-income countries. Through its innovative business model, the MPP partners with industry, civil society, international organisations, patient groups and other stakeholders to prioritise, forecast and license needed medicines and pool intellectual property to encourage generic manufacture and the development of new formulations. To date, the MPP has signed agreements with nine patent holders for thirteen HIV antiretrovirals, one HIV technology platform, two hepatitis C direct-acting antivirals and a tuberculosis treatment. The MPP was founded and is funded by Unitaid.
