TWN Info Service on Intellectual Property Issues (Oct20/03)
12 October 2020
Third World Network

Dear All,

The upcoming TRIPS Council meeting on 15-16th October will be discussing the submission by India and South Africa on “Waiver From Certain Provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the Prevention, Containment and Treatment of Covid-19”. The Waiver Proposal (IP/C/W/669) is available at https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/IP/C/W669.pdf&Open=True

Please find below some useful resources on Intellectual Property and Covid.

1. A briefing document by MSF on the Importance of Waiver from TRIPS Obligations, https://msfaccess.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/COVID_Brief_ProposalWTOWaiver_ENG_2020.pdf
2. Recording of the Webinar on IP and Access to Covid Medical Products held on 8th October: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL1VElxep4U. This webinar touches on how trade secret (protected under Article 39 of the TRIPS Agreement) impacts sharing of knowledge and hence access.
3. Emerging patent disputes that may impact manufacturing and supply of medical products
   –Pfizer-BioNTech, Regeneron sued for patent infringement with COVID-19 products
   https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/pfizer-biontech-regeneron-sued-for-infringement-allele-s-patent-their-covid-19-products;
   –Lawsuit reveals intellectual property is holding back production of CEPI- and Gates Foundation-funded COVID-19 vaccine candidate,https://twn.my/title2/briefing_papers/twn/Hammond.pdf;
   –Pandemic intellectual property dispute deepens as Inovio is countersued, leaving its COVID-19 candidate in limbo, https://twn.my/title2/briefing_papers/twn/Inovio%20countersued%20IP-COVID%20Jul%. 202020%20Hammond.pdf;
   –Patent dispute looms as a major complication for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, https://twn.my/title2/briefing_papers/twn/Moderna%20IP-COVID%20Aug%202020%20Hammond.pdf

Please do not hesitate to reach out should you require further information.

Regards

Sangeeta Shashikant

Third World Network