31 January 2020
Geneva, 31 January 2020 – The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) congratulates the University of Liverpool (UoL) and the University of Washington (UoW) on receiving each a Unitaid grant to lead revolutionary long-acting medicines research.The LONGEVITY project led by the UoL aims to develop long-acting formulations for malaria and TB prevention, and a single-injection cure for hepatitis C. The GLAD project led by the UoW seeks to reduce HIV transmission and resistance to HIV drugs and improve the quality of life of those taking them through long-acting treatment regimens.
MPP is proud to partner with both projects and to use its expertise and model to address access barriers early in the development cycle and, to provide a pathway for low- and middle- income countries to promptly obtain these new products. With its recognised expertise in intellectual property-related facilitation, MPP will engage with the different stakeholders to secure partners in accelerating access to affordable quality revolutionary long-acting treatments in the countries where they are needed.
Access Unitaid’s statement
Access the University of Liverpool’s statement
More about the University of Washington’s long-acting HIV medicines’ program
More information on the MPP and Unitaid intellectual property report on long-acting technologies
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.