While the decision of the 🇺🇸 governement to support an IP #waiver on #COVID_19 vaccines is a step in the right direction, many other things now need to happen. 🧵1/9
https://twitter.com/AmbassadorTai/status/1390021205974003720
For the waiver to effectively accelerate vaccine availability, significant 💰 investments are needed, as well as "tech transfers". 2/9
https://twitter.com/gregggonsalves/status/1390106056458702852
Tech transfers require both parties, originator vaccine companies and recipient vaccine companies, to *collaborate* and share know how. science.sciencemag.org/content/369/65…
If the originator vaccine company is reluctant to collaborate, the IP waiver alone will have v/ limited impact. 3/9
If the originator vaccine company is reluctant to collaborate, the IP waiver alone will have v/ limited impact. 3/9
Tech transfer hubs can be efficient ways to catalyze tech transfers. The @WHO has established a tech transfer hub for mRNA vaccine technology. 4/9 who.int/news-room/arti…
Importantly, the IP waiver proposed by US gov is restricted to Covid-19 vaccines. It doesn't cover Covid-19 therapeutics. It is a shame.
If there is one class of tools that could quickly benefit from an IP waiver, that's small molecule drugs ! 5/9
If there is one class of tools that could quickly benefit from an IP waiver, that's small molecule drugs ! 5/9
As it is much easier to copy small molecule drugs than vaccines through *reverse engineering*, an IP waiver on Covid-19 drugs would quickly translate into accelerated availability of generics of patent-protected small molecule drugs for Covid-19. 6/9
There are a few on-patent expensive drugs approved for emergency use against Covid-19 in some countries (i.e. remdesivir, baricitinib) & many more in the pipeline (i.e. molnupiravir, proxalutamide, C21).
Generics could be available in a few months if patents were removed. 7/9
Generics could be available in a few months if patents were removed. 7/9
The case of monoclonal antibodies and other large molecule biological drugs is somewhere in between the cases of small molecules and vaccines. Not easy to copy through reverse engineering. IP barriers are one thing, access to cell line is crucial too. 8/9 f1000research.com/articles/7-537
In sum, I'm glad to see the US gov support the IP #waiver on #COVID_19 vaccines.
But more needs to happen (i.e. tech transfers, investments).
And other tools, particularly small molecule drugs, should be covered by the waiver too. 9/9
But more needs to happen (i.e. tech transfers, investments).
And other tools, particularly small molecule drugs, should be covered by the waiver too. 9/9
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