5 July 2024
Geneva – The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), Unitaid, IAVI and Wellcome proudly announced the publication of “Novel Approaches to Enable Equitable Access to Monoclonal Antibodies in Low- and Middle-Income Countries” in PLOS Global Public Health. A collaborative effort across co-authors from all partner organisations, the article draws on a multistakeholder consultation to address critical barriers and proposes innovative strategies to enable equitable access to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in low- and middle-income countries.
Monoclonal antibodies – lab-engineered antibodies that mimic human antibodies in defending against disease – are revolutionising the management of various non-communicable and autoimmune diseases in high-income countries. Some mAbs have also been approved for infectious diseases, and many others are currently in development. However, due to systemic challenges, access to mAbs in low- and middle-income countries remains very limited.
This publication describes the challenges inhibiting the accessibility of mAbs in low- and middle-income countries, which include prohibitive costs and ill-adapted formulations, insufficient investment in development for mAbs that target infectious diseases, limited production base, complex intellectual property and regulatory environments and inadequate commercial incentives in low- and middle-income country markets. It outlines possible approaches to overcome these challenges across the value chain, including development and manufacturing, licensing and technology transfer, regulatory pathways, demand creation, and approaches specific to diseases facing different market challenges, including case studies of potential trailblazer mAbs to address specific infectious diseases of public health importance for low- and middle-income countries.
The article provides key recommendations for making these powerful tools more accessible and affordable in regions where they could address unmet needs in the global health response and accelerate progress toward global targets. MPP and partners remain committed to working with global health agencies, funders, the private sector, and affected communities to enable equitable access to mAbs for infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries.
Read the full open-access article here: Novel approaches to enable equitable access to monoclonal antibodies in low- and middle-income countries | PLOS Global Public Health
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.