In the context of its mandate expansion into tuberculosis, the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) was asked by its funder, UNITAID, to conduct a study to examine how MPP licences could contribute to addressing some of the stewardship challenges for new drugs for tuberculosis, specifically for multidrug-resistant TB. The report seeks to inform the Foundation’s approach to negotiating licences and sub-licences for the manufacturing of TB compounds. It acknowledges the twin public health goals of ensuring broad availability of new therapies while promoting their proper use to counter further resistance.
The MPP team conducted extensive deskside research as well as interviews with leading TB experts, private sector leaders, civil society and community-based organisations, intergovernmental organisations, product developers and academics on a range of stewardship issues. The final report identifies ways in which MPP could address these issues through public health licensing and outlines potential terms and conditions that might be appropriate for TB licences. The study also summarises stewardship challenges that are beyond MPP’s purview and best left to other public health actors.