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About the Book This paper finds a broad spectrum of patent claims related to four pathogens with potential to cause public health emergencies – the Ebola, Nipah, Zika and Lassa viruses. While the biological samples and associated sequence information primarily originate from the developing world, it is entities in developed countries which make up the vast majority of the patent applicants, raising critical concerns over misappropriation of shared resources, monopoly control over research, development and the production of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, and the resulting inaccessibility of these essential products in the very countries most affected by these pathogens. The findings highlight the urgent need for robust action through ongoing WHO negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system. Such a system must establish legally binding terms to govern access to biological materials and sequence information of pandemic-potential pathogens. It should also prevent inappropriate intellectual property claims and ensure fair and equitable benefit sharing, safeguarding the rights and interests of resource-sharing countries while promoting global health equity. About the Authors CHETALI RAO is Senior Scientific Researcher and Legal Advisor to the Third World Network. SANGEETA SHASHIKANT is a Legal Advisor to TWN and Coordinator of its Development and Intellectual Property Programme. Contents 1. Introduction 2. Patent Landscape and Trends in Patent Claims Related to Pathogens That Can Cause Public Health Emergencies 2.1. Methodology 2.2. Patent landscape A. Ebola virus B. Nipah virus C. Zika virus D. Lassa virus 2.3. Summaries of selected patent applications 3. Analysis of Patenting Trends 3.1. Broad patent claims covering pathogen material and related sequence information 3.2. Sequence information of pathogens with pandemic potential and operationalizing fair and equitable benefit sharing
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