Medicines Patent Pool

Context:  The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) has signed sub licence agreements with the India based companies Eugia, Hetero and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, along with the Indonesian firm BrightGene, to make generic versions of the drug Nilotinib. What is Nilotinib?

• It is a drug used for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia, a type of blood cancer.
• Nilotinib is sold under the brand name Tasigna and marketed worldwide by Novartis- a Switzerland ­based pharmaceutical corporation.

About Medicines Patent Pool:

• The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) is a United Nations-backed public health organisation.
• Founded by: Unitaid.
• Aim:
  1. To increase access to, and facilitate the development of, life-saving medicines for low- and middle-income countries.
  2. To prioritise and licence needed medicines and pool intellectual property to encourage generic manufacture and the development of new formulations.

• Multi Stakeholder partnership: Through its innovative business model, MPP partners with civil society, governments, international organisations, industry, patient groups, and other stakeholders.

News Source: The Hindu