The Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) today became the first product development partnership (PDP) to contribute intellectual property to the Pool for Open Innovation against Neglected Tropical Diseases. MMV joins GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in contributing to the Pool, which is administered by BIO Ventures for Global Health (BVGH). The Pool for Open Innovation against Neglected Tropical Diseases 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 terrible disease.
“Having MMV, a global product development partnership conducting important work toward the treatment of malaria, opens a new dimension for the Pool for Open Innovation by demonstrating the range of organizations supporting the Pool through open access and application of their intellectual property.”
By emphasizing a more accessible approach to intellectual property and know-how, the Pool for Open Innovation against Neglected Tropical Diseases 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.
"By joining the Pool for Open Innovation against Neglected Tropical Diseases, MMV is proud to join forces with a group of organizations all working to relieve the enormous burden of diseases affecting vulnerable populations in the developing world. In this way we hope to make fully available the know-how and technologies, assembled by MMV against malaria, for the research and development of innovative and efficacious treatments for other neglected diseases," says Professor Patrick Nef, Executive Vice President of Business Development at MMV. "Our contribution to the Pool is in line with our commitment to providing affordable antimalarial treatments for the public good. Allowing free access to MMV's IP and know-how is a sure path to maximizing dissemination and usage of our initial research supported by investment from our philanthropic donors, such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation."
"We are very pleased that MMV has joined the Pool for Open Innovation against Neglected Tropical Diseases," says Don Joseph, Chief Operating Officer of BIO Ventures for Global Health. "Having MMV, a global product development partnership conducting important work toward the treatment of malaria, opens a new dimension for the Pool for Open Innovation by demonstrating the range of organizations supporting the Pool through open access and application of their intellectual property."
Breakthrough discovery could lead to novel malaria vaccines and therapies