Location: Switzerland, or remote with regular professional travels in EU, US and LMICS Contract: fixed term (18 months) employment or consultancy with a possibility to extend
The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) is a dynamic and innovative public health organization dedicated to improving global health outcomes by accelerating access to life-saving medicines and fostering their sustainable and affordable production. Through licensing and technology transfer, MPP works collaboratively with stakeholders across the pharmaceutical landscape, including patent holders, manufacturers, and global health organizations, to ensure medicines reach those who need them most.
At the heart of our mission is a commitment to sustainability, affordability, and regional manufacturing to empower low- and middle-income countries reached by enabling the production of high-quality medicines locally. In addition, MPP supports pandemic preparedness and enhances inter-pandemic resilience, ensuring that health systems are equipped to respond effectively to both current and future global health challenges.
Joining MPP means becoming part of a team that is driving innovation in public health, building sustainable manufacturing ecosystems, and transforming lives through equitable access to essential medicines.
For more information, please see our website, https://medicinespatentpool.org/
Since 2021, MPP has co-led the mRNA Technology Transfer Programme with the World Health Organization (WHO), with the aim of supporting the development and dissemination of mRNA technology to enhance regional manufacturing capacity. This initiative has established a robust mRNA technology platform, which is being shared with 15 manufacturing partners in low- and middle-income countries through a multilateral technology transfer model. These efforts are designed to ensure equitable access to mRNA vaccines and therapeutics while strengthening local production capabilities.
The programme has already achieved important milestones, including the successful establishment of the mRNA platform and the readiness of manufacturing partners to adopt the technology. Looking ahead, 2025 and 2026 will focus on the implementation of the technology platform at the receiving manufacturing partners and product development activities, to enable the manufacturing partners to produce mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics for inter-pandemic use and beyond.
While mRNA technology has been a major focus, MPP is also actively exploring additional technology platforms to address the broader needs of its manufacturing partners. These efforts reflect MPP’s commitment to supporting sustainable manufacturing ecosystems that can respond effectively to global health challenges.
Building on this effort, MPP is seeking a Technology Transfer Expert to join its team and play a key role in advancing the development, transfer, and implementation of innovative health technologies with manufacturing partners worldwide.
Main Duties/Responsibilities
Reporting to the Director of Technology Transfer, the main activities of the Technology Transfer Expert will be to support the Medicines Patent Pool and its partners by providing expert technical support to the Medicines Patent Pool’s work related to technology transfer, enhancement of biologics local production capacity in LMICs, the WHO initiatives on local production and in any other initiative concerning production partnerships. The Technology Transfer Expert will:
Requirements
Essential
Desirable:
Personal Qualities
The richness of MPP lies in its staff: a small, dynamic and multicultural team. The values of Respect, Courage, Generosity and Commitment are essential for a successful outcome.
To thrive in MPP’s dynamic environment and meaningfully contribute to our mission, the Technology Transfer will need to demonstrate the following personal qualities:
MPP respects all individuals regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, HIV status or disability. All qualified applications are welcome.
If you recognise yourself in this description and wish to join our team please send a cover letter and C.V. to recruitment@medicinespatentpool.org including “Technology Transfer Expert” as reference in the subject line by 19 February 2025.
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.