KEI and UACT comments on the prospective grant of exclusive licenses to Sinotau and MTTI

On August 27, 2018, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) and the Union for Affordable Cancer Treatment (UACT) filed comments to the NIH regarding the prospective grant of two separate exclusive licenses to Sinotau Pharmaceutical Group and Molecular Targeting Technologies, Inc. (MTTI),… Continue Reading

WHA76: KEI statement on Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies

On Wednesday, 24 May 2023, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) delivered a statement at the 76th World Health Assembly on Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies. WHO member states should make negotiations at the INB on a pandemic… Continue Reading

FTC asked to use its advocacy role in the Xtandi case

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) mission “is protecting the public from deceptive or unfair business practices and from unfair methods of competition through law enforcement, advocacy, research, and education.” https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/mission The advocacy role of the FTC includes to “Advance… Continue Reading

NGO Letter to Biden Administration in Support of Xtandi Appeal

Today, eight non-governmental organizations sent the Biden Administration a letter of support for the administrative appeal of the request for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to use its rights in the patents on the prostate cancer drug… Continue Reading

Reference Pricing in US Government COVID-19-related Contracts

Knowledge Ecology International conducted a review of contracts entered into by the US government concerning COVID-19-related treatments, diagnostics, vaccines, and other countermeasure-related technologies, regarding reference pricing clauses in the agreements. Of the 104 contracts reviewed, it is difficult to say… Continue Reading

Media coverage of the WHO pandemic treaty negotiations (on transparency and content) – First quarter, 2023

Media coverage of the WHO pandemic treaty negotiations (on transparency and content) – March/April 2023 2 February 2023, Reuters, Draft WHO pandemic deal pushes for equity to avoid COVID ‘failure’ repeat, By Jennifer Rigby and Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber. However, there will… Continue Reading

Thursday webinar on Bayh-Dole safeguards including Xtandi march in and government use petition, and federal government review of march in rights

(UPDATE: A recording of the event is available on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qFgm-dohuU) Date: Thursday April 20, 2023 Time: 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM EDT Knowledge Ecology International is hosting an online discussion of two Bayh-Dole safeguard related topics.… Continue Reading

Cancer patients file administrative appeal on NIH rejection of Xtandi march-in petition with Secretary of HHS Becerra

On March 23, 2023, three prostate cancer patients, Robert Sachs, Clare Love and Eric Sawyer, filed an administrative appeal of the NIH decision to reject petition that HHS use Federal rights in patents on Xtandi to address pricing discrimination against… Continue Reading

INB4: KEI general comment on the Zero Draft

On 28 February 2023, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) delivered the following statement on the zero draft prepared by the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention,… Continue Reading

US government files statement of Interest in Arbutus v Moderna case, testing scope of 28 USC 1498(a) government use of patents for acquisition and distribution of COVID 19 vaccines

On February 14, 2023, USDOJ filed a Statement of Interest of the United States, in the patent dispute between Arbutus Biopharma, Genevant Sciences, and Moderna. A copy of the filing is here: arbutus.moderna.USG.statementofinterest This is an important, and while not… Continue Reading