[Ip-health] UNITAID Exec.Board Approves Patent Pool

[Suerie Moon]

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[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
Press release just issued by UNITAID:

UNITAID EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVES BREAKTHROUGH PLAN TO MAKE AIDS TREATMENT M=
ORE WIDELY AVAILABLE AT LOWER COST=C2=A0PATENT POOL COULD SAVE OVER ONE BIL=
LION DOLLARS A YEAR=C2=A0=C2=A0Geneva, 14 December 2009=C2=A0=E2=80=94 Toda=
y UNITAID's Executive Board made a landmark decision to establish a Patent =
Pool for AIDS medicines.=C2=A0=C2=A0The pool, scheduled to start operating =
in mid-2010, aims to make newer medicines available in patient-adapted form=
, at lower prices, for low- and middle-income countries.=C2=A0UNITAID has c=
ommitted to provide start-up funds of up to US$ 4 million over the next yea=
r.=C2=A0=C2=A0Expected savings exceed one billion dollars a year, which wil=
l make more medicines available for more people.=C2=A0=E2=80=9CThis is an h=
istoric day,=E2=80=9D said Philippe Douste-Blazy, Chair of UNITAID's Execut=
ive Board.=C2=A0=C2=A0=E2=80=9CUNITAID has now put in place a mechanism tha=
t will make medical advances work for the poor, while compensating companie=
s for sharing their technology.=E2=80=9D=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0The Patent =
Pool will
 allow generic companies to make lower cost versions of widely patented new=
 medicines by creating a common space for patent holders to license their t=
echnology in exchange for royalties.=C2=A0=C2=A0This will spur competition =
and further bring down the price of vital new and effective medicines, givi=
ng hope to millions of patients.=C2=A0=C2=A0Companies with which UNITAID ha=
s had consultations include Gilead, Tibotec, Merck and Sequoia.=C2=A0=C2=A0=
UNITAID has identified 19 products from nine companies for potential inclus=
ion into the pool.=C2=A0=C2=A0The pool will facilitate the development of f=
ixed-dose combinations (FDCs).=C2=A0=C2=A0For some years now clinical evide=
nce has revealed that these combinations are the best way for patients to a=
ccess safe, effective treatment.=C2=A0Until now, patents have created barri=
ers to developing FDCs combining newer and more effective drugs from differ=
ent companies.=C2=A0=C2=A0Today, with the first concrete step in the realis=
ation of the Patent Pool, the door is open
 for new FDCs to enter the market.=C2=A0=E2=80=9CFDCs are especially import=
ant in the treatment of children, who make up 10% of current treatment need=
s,=E2=80=9D said Jorge Bermudez, UNITAID Executive Secretary.=C2=A0=E2=80=
=9CThe Patent Pool will greatly help us accomplish our mission of scaling u=
p treatment access, particularly for specific target groups otherwise negle=
cted by the market =E2=80=93 that is, children and people who fail on older=
 therapies.=E2=80=9D=C2=A0The idea of a Patent Pool has been in discussion =
for a number of years.=C2=A0=C2=A0In 2006, Knowledge Ecology International =
and M=C3=A9decins Sans Fronti=C3=A8res proposed it to UNITAID.=C2=A0=C2=A0T=
oday UNITAID has become the first international body to translate this idea=
 into reality.=C2=A0=C2=A0=E2=80=9CToday is a good day for people living wi=
th HIV/AIDS in developing countries,=E2=80=9D said Nelson Otwoma, the HIV/A=
IDS community representative on UNITAID's Executive Board.=C2=A0=C2=A0=E2=
=80=9CWhen my son was a baby we had to break pieces of adult tablets for hi=
m - treating him was
 guess work.=C2=A0=C2=A0The Pool gives me hope that we'll have better medic=
ines to treat children in the future.=E2=80=9D=C2=A0=E2=80=9CWe=E2=80=99ve =
had enormous interest from companies and political support from numerous co=
nstituencies around the globe,=E2=80=9D said Ellen =E2=80=98t Hoen, in char=
ge of the Patent Pool for UNITAID.=C2=A0=C2=A0=E2=80=9CWe're now ready to m=
ove to the next phase - reaching agreements with companies to get the drugs=
 out.=E2=80=9D=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0Contact: Daniela Bagozzi, UNITAID Communica=
tion, Te. +41 22 791 45 44; Mob. +41 79 475 54 90; Email=C2=A0bagozzid@who.=
intEllen 't Hoen, UNITAID Patent Pool, Tel. +41 22 791 18 20; Mob. +41 79 5=
09 06 79; Email=C2=A0thoene@who.int=C2=A0=C2=A0www.unitaid.eu/en/The-Medici=
nes-Patent-Pool-Initiative.html=C2=A0www.unitaid.eu