South Africa taps patent pool for neglected diseases

South Africa will use a new "patent pool" to work on new drugs for tuberculosis and malaria, making it the first government to take advantage of the industry-led idea.

The pool aims to speed development of drugs for neglected tropical diseases by freely sharing patented information owned by drug companies and academic institutions, including the South African firm iThemba Pharmaceuticals, which has already announced plans to use the pool to do research into new TB drugs.

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Nhlanhla Msomi, Interim CEO-TIA; Steve Sencer, Emory University; Nick Cammock, Senior VP of GSK- Tres Cantos- Drugs for the developing world; Mamphela Ramphele, Chairperson of the Board- TIA; Sherry Knowles, Chief Patent Counsel- GSK; Lita Nelsen, Director of the Technology Licensing Office of MIT; Chris Edlin, CSO- iThemba Pharmaceuticals; Melinda Moree, CEO, BVGH; Philip Chase, VP Legal- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

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