The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) is a Unitaid-backed international organisation founded in July 2010,[1] based in Geneva, Switzerland. Its public health driven business model aims to lower the prices of HIV, tuberculosis and hepatitis C medicines and facilitate the development of better-adapted HIV treatments through voluntary licensing and patent pooling. Its goal is to improve access to affordable and appropriate HIV, hepatitis C and tuberculosis medicines in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). In May 2020, the MPP become an implementing partner of the WHO's Covid-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP).[2]
Peer-reviewed economics research find that the MPP substantially increased generic drug supplies, especially in countries with stronger patent protection; positive spillover effect to upstream innovation is found in clinical trials and drug product approvals in MPP-related drugs.[3] A related study found that there is an immediate and large increase in licensing of a life-saving drug in low- and middle-income countries when the patent is included in the MPP.[4] An article in The Conversation has summarized issues in the patent system, relevance to LMIC, and the role of the MPP.[5]
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