28 November 2022
The Lancet Global Health published a paper by Medicines Patent Pool co-authors on expanding access to biotherapeutics in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) through public health non-exclusive voluntary intellectual property licensing.
The key elements identified as relevant to support access to affordable biosimilars in LMICs through licensing include:
Click here to access the document
Co-authors include Sébastien Morin, Giulia Segafredo, Aditi Das, Meghmala Das, Nicola Loffredi, Amina Larbi, Elena Villanueva, Kim Mwamelo, Sandra Nobre, Manuele Piccolis and Esteban Burrone.
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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.