21 August 2025
The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) welcomes Unitaid’s landmark investment to strengthen regional manufacturing of essential diagnostics and medicines in Africa. This initiative will enhance local production capacity for HIV, malaria, and maternal health products, contributing to more resilient and equitable health systems across the continent.
As part of this package, MPP will receive US$1.5 million to support the Medicines Supply Resilience (MedSuRe) Africa project, led by the US Pharmacopeia (USP). MPP’s contribution will include licensing activities, expanding regional manufacturing capabilities for quality-assured medicines, and leading selected pandemic preparedness efforts.
“Strengthening regional manufacturing is key to ensuring sustainable access to quality-assured medicines,” said Charles Gore, Executive Director of MPP. “By supporting African manufacturers and health institutions, we are empowering communities to build sustainable solutions that reduce reliance on distant suppliers.”
MPP will collaborate closely with USP and consortium partners to ensure this investment fosters a robust regional manufacturing network in Africa—reaching the communities that need it most and advancing equitable access to life-saving treatments.
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.