In January 2024, WHO and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) announced the signing of a licence agreement with SD Biosensor, Inc. (SDB), a global in-vitro diagnostic company, to provide sublicensees with the right, know-how and material to manufacture SDB’s rapid diagnostic testing (RDT) technology. The transparent, non-exclusive license agreement, negotiated under the auspices of the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP), represents an important milestone in the evolution of the C-TAP initiative as it enables the manufacture of diagnostics for COVID-19 as well as other diseases such as HIV, malaria and syphilis.
To facilitate local manufacture and the development of RDTs for COVID-19 and other diseases.
Any RDT product based on the Licensed Technology, including without limitation the Standard Q COVID-19 Ag Test.
Licensed Technology
SDB to provide rights to SDB Patents, Material and Know-How that are useful or otherwise relevant for manufacturing of RDT including without limitation for COVID-19 and other RDTs in the Field.
Detection of any antigen, including without limitation for SARS-Cov-2.
Worldwide, except the countries where SDB production plants are located: Brazil, India, Indonesia, Korea, and Panama.
Non-exclusive right under the Licensed Technology for MPP to grant sublicences to develop, make and sell the Products, commercialise, and sell the Product for use in the Territory and in the Field.
Continuing until, (i) for the countries where exist a Patent Right, the date the last patent right has lapsed, expired, or been invalidated or (ii) for the countries without Patent Rights, which is valid and in force, for a term of ten (10) years.
Sublicence Agreement
Press and Media
The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) is a United Nations-backed public health organisation working to increase access to and facilitate the development of life-saving medicines for low- and middle-income countries. Through its innovative business model, MPP partners with civil society, governments, international organisations, industry, patient groups, and other stakeholders to prioritise and license needed medicines and pool intellectual property to encourage generic manufacture and the development of new formulations.
To date, MPP has signed agreements with 22 patent holders for 13 HIV antiretrovirals, one HIV technology platform, three hepatitis C direct-acting antivirals, a tuberculosis treatment, a cancer treatment, four long-acting technologies, a post-partum haemorrhage medicine, three oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19 and 16 COVID-19 technologies.
MPP was founded by Unitaid, which continues to be MPP’s main funder. MPP’s work on access to essential medicines is also funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Government of Canada, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Government of Flanders. MPP’s activities in COVID-19 are undertaken with the financial support of the Japanese Government, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the German Agency for International Cooperation, and SDC.