Medicines Patent Pool Agreement for Leukaemia | 26 Jun 2023

Why in News?

Recently, the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), a United Nations-backed group signed sub-licence agreements with three India-based companies to make certain Cancer Drugs more accessible and cheaper for patients.

  • These agreements allow the production of generic versions of Novartis' cancer treatment drug Nilotinib, primarily used for Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML), in several countries.
  • The licence covers India, seven middle-income countries, and 44 territories, allowing the generic versions of Nilotinib to be supplied, subject to local regulatory authorization.

What is 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 (LMIC).
  • It was founded in July 2010, based in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • 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.
  • As of now, MPP has signed agreements with twelve patent holders for thirteen Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) antiretrovirals, one HIV technology platform, three hepatitis C direct-acting antivirals, a tuberculosis treatment, a long-acting technology, two experimental oral antiviral treatments for Covid-19 and a Covid-19 serological antibody technology.

What is Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML)?

  • About:
    • It is one of the types of Leukemia, which is a blood-cell cancer that affects the bone marrow and the blood. Other types are,
      • Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
      • Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
      • Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).
    • It is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal white blood cells called myeloid cells.
    • CML typically progresses slowly, and it is often diagnosed during the chronic phase.
  • Diagnosis:
    • CML is typically diagnosed through a combination of blood tests and bone marrow examination.

Source: TH