In a new effort to combat neglected tropical diseases, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recently announced the formation of a new consortium of private and public institutions called WIPO Re:Search. The consortium was established to facilitate the exchange of IP with researchers working on neglected tropical diseases, including malaria and tuberculosis.WIPO Re:Search brings together large pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and prominent research institutions. It makes certain IP assets of its participants available to researchers anywhere in the world under royalty-free licenses provided that the researchers work on neglected tropical diseases.
It is estimated that neglected tropical diseases negatively affect the lives of a billion people worldwide.
