This project, funded by the British Academy and led by Queen Mary University of London, looks at how intellectual property licensing affects vaccine production and supply.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented levels of innovation and collaboration in the life science sector along the entire medical technology value chain, including partners from the three sectors, which enabled the production and supply of vaccines at unprecedented speed and, ultimately, on a global scale.
Intellectual property (IP) licensing practices have played a mixed role in this context. While they facilitated the sharing of some patented inventions, regulatory data, know-how, and trade secrets, they were also used to block access to other key IP assets. Thus, different IP practices either promoted or hindered the technology transfer, production, and supply of COVID-19 vaccines internationally.
Funded by The British Academy, this research project aims to contribute to the debate about pandemic preparedness by examining how IP licensing practices may be helpful or detrimental to vaccine production and supply, considering the importance of promoting access and affordability. To achieve this, the research will map the landscape of IP protection of vaccines across the G7 and include comparative case studies of licensing practices in contracts for COVID-19 vaccines.
The products of this research will include policy briefs, academic papers, and proposals for a policy toolkit for future vaccine licensing endeavours. In this way, the project aims to contribute to the policy debate about future pandemic preparedness and response underway in the G7 and internationally at the WHO, where a Pandemic Preparedness Treaty is currently being negotiated.