Medicines for Malaria Venture contributes patents to the Pool for Open Innovation against neglected tropical diseases

The Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) yesterday became the first product development partnership (PDP) to contribute intellectual property to the Pool for Open Innovation against Neglected Tropical Diseases. MMV joins UK drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline, the USA's Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, in contributing to the Pool, which is administered by BIO Ventures for Global Health.

The Pool seeks to motivate innovative and efficient drug discovery and development by opening access to intellectual property or know-how in neglected tropical disease research. MMV's contribution of patents to the Pool, resulting from its research for new antimalarials, is an important milestone from an organization that plays a major role in leading the development of new therapeutics for this disease.

By emphasizing a more accessible approach to intellectual property and know-how, the Pool facilitates access to patents and/or technologies for organizations that want to conduct research on treatments for these neglected diseases. The Pool is accessible to industry, non-profit institutions and academic researchers to conduct research and drug development activities that deliver real benefits for patients in the least developed countries of the world.