Fissures on intellectual property, C-TAP and transparency emerge in WHO local production negotiations

On 4 December 2020, Ethiopia submitted a Zero Draft resolution to the World Health Organization (WHO) on Strengthening Local Production of Medicines and Other Health Technologies to Improve Access – WHO Resolution on Strengthening Local Production of Medicines and Other… Continue Reading

Canadian Policy option that can permit the government to exercise rights in patents arising under procurement contracts in Canada, if “prior obligations” exist, and how that relates to WHO COVID-19 pooling proposal

In Canada, the foreground intellectual property arising under procurement contracts by default belongs to the contractor. However, there are several exceptions to this rule. One key policy provision allows the government to claim title of the foreground intellectual property “where…… Continue Reading

House Coronavirus Bill Provision Could be Used for COVID-19/Coronavirus-Related R&D without Public-Interest Safeguards

A House coronavirus stimulus bill contains a provision concerning the use of Other Transactions Authority to fund COVID-19 diagnostics. The provision appears to authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to award $2.2 billion to private sector companies to develop… Continue Reading

President and Minister of Health of Costa Rica ask WHO to create global pool for rights in COVID-19 related technologies

(KEI blogs and other work on COVID-19 are here: https://www.keionline.org/coronavirus) A letter from Costa Rica, signed by Carlos Alarado Quesada, the President, and Dr. Daniel Salas Peraza, the Minister of Health, to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was sent this evening… Continue Reading

FDA gives Gilead a seven year regulatory monopoly for remdesivir to treat COVID-19, on grounds it is an “Orphan” treating a rare disease

Today the FDA granted Gilead Orphan Drug status for remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19, on grounds this is a rare disease. The morning of the designation, the U.S. had confirmed, through testing, more than 35 thousand cases, including 8,477… Continue Reading

Trilateral symposium: WTO Director General Roberto Azevêdo highlights the opportunities and challenges faced in providing access to CAR T

On Thursday, 31 October 2019, the World Trade Organization (WTO) hosted the eighth trilateral symposium jointly convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The theme of this year’s symposium was ” “Cutting-Edge Health… Continue Reading

Joint Comments by KEI, UACT, Social Security Watch and Health Gap on the proposed NIH Exclusive License in CAR Therapy to Lyell Immunopharma (and NIH Response)

(UPDATE: As noted in the comments below, the NIH provided a response to the joint comments submitted on September 5, 2019, well in advance of the close of the comment period on September 15, 2019) On September 19, 2019, Knowledge… Continue Reading