25 February 2020
After nearly 10 years of operations, the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) went to India to see first-hand how access to quality-assured generic medicines for HIV and hepatitis C has changed people’s life. In the first of our impact series videos, patients, medical experts, governments, among others, explain how MPP’s work has generated impact.
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 French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the German Agency for International Cooperation, the Japanese Government, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
