A new $100 million initiative to identify and reach zero-dose children – those who have not received a single routine vaccine shot – has been launched today by Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and World Vision (WV).  The Zero-Dose Immunization Programme (ZIP) will be led by the International […] Continue reading ->
One year since the establishment of the mRNA Vaccine Technology Transfer Hub, a collaboration between two leading biotech companies – Afrigen Biologics and the Univercells group – was announced on Tuesday, paving the way for the development of the first-ever African-owned COVID-19 vaccine through open-access intellectual property.  Using intellectual property from partners, the collaboration between […] Continue reading ->
Limited IP waiver text says WTO members “will decide” on inclusion of COVID-19 tests and treatments within six months.  The World Trade Organization’s first ministerial conference in four and a half years reached agreement early Friday morning on what officials described as “an unprecedented outcome” of six agreements, including a deal to curb some fishing […] Continue reading ->
A new sublicense agreement for a COVID-19 antibody test has been announced Thursday by the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) on behalf of the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) and South African company Biotech Africa.  The new agreement builds on the first non-exclusive licensing agreement announced by WHO and MPP last year with […] Continue reading ->