This form the Pharmalot blog on the new Medicines Patent Pool - a new initiative aimed streamlining patent licensing to enable greater availability of generic HIV drugs to emerging world. This is especially need to lower prices in many of these markets.
NIH Joins AIDS Patent Pool; Where Is Pharma? // Pharmalot.
The pool was initiated by UNITAID. The NIH has immediately stepped up to contribute key patents to the pool - primarily from the NCI and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Now, we need the pharma industry to follow suit to make this an effective pool. Previously, Merck and Gilead have indicated a willingness to participate but have not consumated the deal so far. J&J's Tibotec - a previous beneficiary of NIH non-exclusive patent grants to enable its business, has also been singled out as another company that needs to join the pool in order for cheap generics of darunavir to be made available - as it holds key IP.
We need everyone into the POOL!
For more on patent pools and their value in breaking up patent thickets and IP sharing see here, here, here, and here.
Posted by Bruce Lehr October 2nd 2010.
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