Improving access to COVID-19 treatments: how IP makes it possible

• Author: Jhon Carmona/Edward Harris
• Position: Global Challenges Division/News and Media Division, WIPO

The recently announced licensing agreements between the Medicines Patent Pool and Pfizer and Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) for their anti-viral pills will enable mass production and low-cost distribution of these COVID-19 treatments for half of the world population. (Photo: XH4D / E+ / Getty Image)

Why this is important

Treating COVID-19 early is key because the cure rate in early infections is higher than in advanced infections. To date, only two oral treatments for early-stage COVID-19 infection have shown promising results: MSD’s molnupiravir and Pfizer’s PF-07321332.

The recently announced licensing agreements will enable mass production and low-cost distribution of these COVID-19 treatments for half of the world population. Under the agreements, MSD and Pfizer will forego royalties for as long as COVID-19 remains a public health emergency of international concern. Sales will continue under normal market conditions elsewhere. This will mean countless human lives will be saved in countries where the need for extra support in moving beyond the pandemic is greatest.

"These deals are very welcome developments and represent a balanced model for promoting the spread of innovative anti-COVID medical technology across the globe," says WIPO Director General Daren Tang. "I encourage players across the world − those creating these important health technologies, those seeking them and everyone in between − to quickly explore similar arrangements. WIPO stands ready to continue its work to facilitate the sharing of intellectual property (IP), technology and the know-how needed to make it all work."

Ownership of the IP rights associated with a product or therapy encourages enterprises to commit to the research and development and other outlays needed to develop health technologies.

The role of intellectual property in facilitating these agreements

Ownership of the IP rights associated with a product or therapy encourages enterprises to commit to the research and development and other outlays needed to develop health technologies. In many cases in the health field, development and testing of new products may take years before reaching the market.

The COVID-19 pandemic turbocharged this process, which in some cases included massive public investments alongside those made by the pharmaceutical industry and others. The repurposing of molnupiravir by MSD and Pfizer’s discovery of PF-07321332 were made possible by the incentives provided by the IP system.

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