Medicines Patent Pool

The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) is a public health organization that negotiates voluntary licenses with patent holders to enable generic manufacturers to produce patented medicines for low- and middle-income countries. Founded in 2010, the MPP operates in the space between intellectual property law and public health, using patent licensing as a mechanism to expand access rather than restrict it.

Unlike conventional patent licensing, which maximizes revenue for the patent holder, the MPP's licenses are designed to maximize public health impact. They typically include geographic restrictions (limiting sales to low-income markets), quality requirements (ensuring WHO prequalification), and technology transfer provisions (building manufacturing capacity in endemic countries). The MPP is a product development partnership that operates within the constraints of the existing patent system rather than bypassing it.

See also access to medicines and Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative.