MPP: Access to patented medicines
Although patents protect medical products, they may limit their access in low-resource settings. Medicines Patent Pool negotiates voluntary licenses with patent holders, including Swiss companies, and grants them to generic manufacturers to reduce prices. Support from SDC enables people in low- and middle-income countries to access quality-assured medicines and technologies that are appropriate, affordable, safe and effective against non-communicable diseases and pandemics.
| Pays/région | Thème | Période | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Monde entier |
Santé nothemedefined
Renforcement des systèmes de santé
|
01.01.2026
- 31.12.2028 |
CHF 1’500’000
|
- Conclusion of 2 new voluntary licenses, with 27 market entries in new LMICs with an average price reduction.
- Conclusion of agreements with generic manufacturers, with 20% in under-represented LMICs, and with quality-assurance approvals.
- In the event of a health emergency, partnerships for Pandemic Preparedness and Response are concluded with 6 developers and manufactures, voluntary licensing or technology transfer is publicly endorsed by 12 stakeholders, and MPP is covered in 3’000 press articles.
- Successful expansion of MPPs’ mandate beyond infectious diseases to include non-communicable diseases (NCDs), as well as health technologies critical to the pandemic response, following the onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
- Conclusion of numerous public-health-oriented licence agreements across COVID-19 (antivirals), NCDs (e.g. nilotinib for cancer) and maternal health (e.g. heat-stable carbetocin, for postpartum haemorrhage).
- Development and market entry of quality-assured generic products under MPP licences, with generic COVID-19 antivirals supplied to 16 countries and generic nilotinib to 3.
- Achieving high-level recognition from WHO, G7, G20 and the UN General Assembly.
- Autre organisation suisse non-profit
- Medicines Patent Pool
-
Secteur selon catégorisation du Comité d'aide au développement de l'OCDE SANTE
Sous-Secteur selon catégorisation du Comité d'aide au développement de l'OCDE Politique de la santé et gestion administrative
Type d'aide Contribution de base
Numéro de projet 7F10171
| Contexte | Patents prevent others from producing, selling, or using the patented item for a defined period. This incentivises the discovery and development of new medicines, while also protecting the intellectual property of medical product owners and fostering competition. However, the patenting of most life-saving and essential medicines can restrict their availability and affordability in LMICs, acting as a barrier to equitable access to health products and technologies. The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) is the only voluntary licensing and patent pooling mechanism for public health purposes. It improves access to and the development of patented medical products by collaborating with patent holders. Under this model, patent holders grant MPP public health-oriented voluntary licenses, which it then sublicenses to generic manufacturers years before the patents expire. Since 2019, the SDC has supported MPP, a Geneva-based public-private partnership that promotes quality and availability in specific treatment areas, as well as cooperation with the pharmaceutical industry. MPP aligns with Swiss values and priorities while complementing the mandates of other global health organisations in Geneva. It respects intellectual property rights and strengthens the “Genève Internationale”. |
| Objectifs | People in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) gain access to quality-assured, appropriate, affordable, safe and effective medicines and technologies. |
| Groupes cibles | Primary beneficiaries are people in LMICs who need patented, life-saving medicines and other health technologies that are not available in their national health systems, or that are only available on the private market at relatively high out-of-pocket costs. Secondary beneficiaries are countries and funders who save money when purchasing MPP-licensed medicines, as well as patent holders and generic manufactur-ers who benefit from royalty fees and from selling generic versions in LMICs, respectively. |
| Effets à moyen terme |
Outcome 1: Critical new health products become available and affordable sooner in LMICs as a result of voluntary licensing. Outcome 2: An increasing number of key health products are being supplied in LMICs by regional or local manufacturers. Outcome 3: Mechanisms are in place to enable timely and equitable access to counter-measures in the event of health emergencies. |
| Résultats |
Principaux résultats attendus: Principaux résultats antérieurs: |
| Direction/office fédéral responsable |
DDC |
| Partenaire de projet |
Partenaire contractuel Organisation suisse à but non lucratif |
| Coordination avec d'autres projets et acteurs | World Health Organization, Swissmedic, Gavi, the Global Fund. |
| Budget | Phase en cours Budget de la Suisse CHF 1’500’000 Budget suisse déjà attribué CHF 0 Budget y compris partenaires de projet CHF 36’000’000 Projet total depuis la première phase Budget de la Suisse CHF 2’960’566 Budget y compris partenaires de projet CHF 4’550’566 |
| Phases du projet | Phase 3 01.01.2026 - 31.12.2028 (Phase en cours) Phase 2 01.01.2023 - 31.12.2025 (Completed) Phase 1 01.11.2018 - 31.12.2022 (Completed) |
