21 June 2022
The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) welcomes a collaboration agreement by Afrigen Biologics and biotech company Univercells that intends to support the development of the first-ever African-owned COVID-19 vaccine.
The collaboration will work to develop a novel mRNA vaccine using intellectual property from the collaboration partners, and is intended to increase access to the vaccine. Immunotherapy company eTheRNA will support Afrigen and Univercells.
Afrigen hosts the mRNA Vaccine Technology Transfer Hub, a global initiative that aims to improve health and health security by establishing locally owned mRNA manufacturing capabilities in and for low- and middle-income countries.
“The Hub programme was designed to assist low- and middle-income countries develop mRNA technology that is sustainable for national and regional use,” said Charles Gore, Executive Director of MPP.
“We are delighted to see our partners working towards that goal with this agreement.”
Access Univercells’s Announcement
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.