Penn’s Innovations
and the Global Poor
Facilitating Access to Medicines
in Developing Countries
Universities Allied for Essential Medicines
22 Mar 2006
The access and research gaps

Ten million people die needlessly each year
because they do not have access to existing
medicines and vaccines

Countless others suffer
from neglected tropical
diseases for which
there is little financial
incentive for drug
development
Quick, World Health Organization 2005
Why do the access and
research gaps exist?
Universities are major contributors
to drug development


A recent report found that 15 of the 21 drugs
with the most therapeutic impact were
derived from federally funded projects at
academic centers
Overall, universities are responsible for over
half of the basic science research in the U.S.
Senate Joint Economic Committee 2000
National Science Foundation 2004
Have other universities tried to address
the access and research gaps?




Harvard/MGH dual-market license for HIV
diagnostics
Yale, d4t, and access-minded licensing
Emory and Gilead Access Program for the
HIV drug emtricitabine
Berkeley ‘Socially Responsible Licensing
Initiative’ and Center for Neglected Diseases
Environment at Penn
UAEM at Penn

Approach: self-education  collaboration  open dialogue
UAEM Proposals I


Change in principles: adopting the statement
that ‘improving global human welfare is the
most important goal of university technology
transfer’
Change in policies:


Access-minded licensing provisions for
biomedical innovations
Promote research on neglected diseases and
work with nontraditional partners that seek to
develop medicines for those diseases
UAEM Proposals II

The Equitable Access License



Includes access provisions for any out-licensed
biomedical innovation
Works by engendering generic competition in
developing countries
Neglected-disease policies



Facilitate researchers’ participation in publicprivate partnerships
Proactively monitor university innovations for
neglected-disease applicability
Carve out a ‘research exemption’ for neglected
diseases in licenses
Collective Action



National rumblings
 AAAS report on ‘Humanitarian Licensing’
 AUTM commitment through the Technology
Managers for Global Health
Leadership from a critical mass of elite research
universities required
Opportunity for Penn to elevate its reputation as a
pioneer in global health
Summary



Given: lack of access to effective medicines
is a significant global health problem
and
Given: major research universities like Penn
are important contributors to the development
of effective medicines
and
Given: Penn has shown a commitment to
leadership in global engagement
Question for Discussion

How can Penn ensure access to its
biomedical innovations for the global
poor?