11 July 2025
At the WIPO General Assembly (July 8–17, 2025), MPP presented MedsPaL and the mRNA Technology Transfer Programme, highlighting our efforts to promote equitable access to medical innovations through transparent IP data and sustainable local manufacturing.
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Session 12(ii) Standing Committee on the Law of Patents SCP
STATEMENT
Delivered by Zongyuan Tang
It was a pleasure for Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to present MedsPaL on several occasions at the WIPO Standing Committee on the Law of Patents. MedsPaL is a free patents and licences database created by MPP back in 2016. It is aimed at helping the global health community to improve access to essential health products and technologies through better understanding of patent and licence landscapes. Since its creation, the scope of MedsPaL has been significantly expanded to new and upcoming products and technologies, and its features have also been enhanced, to ensure that it remains a key resource for its users. We are grateful to the many patent offices that, over the years, have collaborated with us to ensure that the data contained in MedsPaL remains as up-to-date as possible. We look forward to working with even more patent offices in the coming future.
In relation to technology transfer, another topic being discussed at the WIPO SCP, this is also an area that MPP has been very actively working on. Together with WHO, MPP has been working closely with manufacturers in 15 countries on the mRNA Technology Transfer Programme. The mRNA programme is a global initiative aiming to improve health and health security by establishing sustainable, locally owned mRNA manufacturing capacities in- and for LMICs. While the Programme was initially focusing on COVID-19, it is now working with countries to combat other diseases including possible future pandemics by developing other mRNA vaccines and therapeutics against life-threatening diseases.
We are looking forward to opportunities to share more details with you on MedsPaL and the mRNA Technology Transfer Programme.
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.