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New research underlines the value of patents for development of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, and the danger of waivers—plus, the bull market on climate solutions. (654 words, 3 minutes, 16 seconds) |
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Patents build innovation and waivers rip it down, researchers say |
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A COVID-19 IP waiver is a bad idea because patents enabled the remarkable drug development we’ve seen during the pandemic, says a
research article published recently in the health care journal INQUIRY.
Intellectual property protection for patents empowered the decades of research and biopharma infrastructure development that enabled rapid vaccine and therapeutics creation, the authors say, adding: “The WTO patent waiver is based on a profound misunderstanding about the role of patents in facilitating the invention and mass production of COVID-19 vaccines.”
The proposed expansion of the COVD-19 IP waiver for vaccines to COVID-19 therapeutics and diagnostics simply extends a bad idea, the article argues. WTO isset to decide on the expansion of the waiver to therapeutics in December and it remains unclear whether the Biden Administration will support the extension, as they supported this summer’s vaccine IP waiver.
Staff from BIO’s International and Infectious Diseases teams are in Geneva this week meeting with foreign governments to deepen their understanding of the robust global manufacturing and access programs BIO members have implemented to ensure supply of vaccines and therapeutics throughout the world.IP rights enabled “the complex global commercial and information-sharing infrastructure in the modern biopharmaceutical sector” that facilitated vaccine and therapeutic development and allowed “commercial agreements to expand manufacturing capacity of vaccines,”
the authors of the study say. A waiver is “destructive of the incentives and commercial system that made possible the historically unprecedented response of the COVID-19 vaccines.”
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More Health Care News
Bio.News: OncoXome is charging ahead with gene therapy to treat resistant cancers
The winner of the BIO Start-Up Stadium Challenge uses targeted exosome delivery of gene therapy to resistant cancers. “At OncoXome, we consider cancer as smart, as a complex ecosystem that quickly adapts to aggressions and becomes resistant,” says Auriane Gamelin, OncoXome co-founder. |
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Market stays bullish on innovative climate solutions |
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In a bear market, money usually flows toward safer, proven technologies, but investors appear to be bullish on innovations for climate, says a Bloomberg article published last week.
Venture capital fundraising is continuing, despite market jitters, and “there’s still a very robust, potentially recession-proof, segment within climate tech for people who are trying to solve really hard problems,” Mark Cupta of Prelude Ventures tells Bloomberg.
Finding new ideas worth backing may be the greater challenge for venture capitalists, Bloomberg says, though the new U.S. climate legislation offers money that could seed new ideas and encourage innovative research. As Bio.News reports, the legislation provides $369 billion in climate spending. Startups can also gain traction with federal seed funding programs and funding from the White House initiative for biomanufacturing.
Biotech climate ideas are out there including the production of biofuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel, another area supported by government action, and new technology to make cheap biodiesel. Biotech innovations in agriculture can help battle climate change by:
Policy action is needed to continue supporting biotech innovation for climate, including improvements in the regulatory framework and several specific actions, that
BIO outlined in a recent letter to President Biden.
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President Biden’s Wednesday: Touring hurricane damage in Florida and meeting with Gov. Ron DeSantis to discuss the emergency, per The Washington Post.
What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: Recess. |
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