15 October 2021
Geneva – The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) Governance Board announced today that it appointed the founder of Santa Cruz IP Maximiliano Santa Cruz as its new board member, effective today.
Lawyer by training, Maximiliano comes with twenty years of experience in intellectual property (IP). He served as the CEO of the National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI), the Chilean patent and trademark office, for more than nine years. A key achievement of his time at INAPI was the creation of PROSUR, an alliance of 13 Latin American IP offices agreeing to share data and information, considered as one of the most advanced and broad instances of integration in the field. Maximiliano also consulted for many international organisations such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) where he chaired a number of committees, the World Health Organization (WHO) where he participated in key negotiations, the World Trade Organization (WTO), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the European Union’s IP Office (EUIPO).
“Maximiliano has seen MPP grow over the past 10 years, as the former Chair of our Expert Advisory Group,” says Marie-Paule Kieny. “We trust his judgement, rely on his expertise in IP and find his experience navigating the different international instances in charge of trade and patent information very valuable. We are convinced he is a perfect addition to our Board.”
Maximiliano studied law at the University of Chile and the University of San Francisco, CA, US. He authored many articles and studies published in renowned outlets on IP, innovation and international trade.
Read more about the work of MPP’s Governance Board
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.