Strong intellectual property frameworks and new models of collaboration and partnership are key to addressing the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), WIPO Director General Daren Tang said in welcoming participants to the symposium, organized with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
AMR occurs when bacteria and other microorganisms no longer respond to medicines such as antibiotics, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of death.
Opening the joint technical symposium as host agency, Mr. Tang welcomed WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. In his address, Mr. Tang said that IP rules play an important role in supporting the development and supply of antibiotics.
“Whichever lens we use – scientific, economic, industrial – there is no escaping the fact that developing new solutions to counter AMR is extremely difficult. Beyond the biological constraints, and that there are only a limited number of ways of killing bacteria without harming the host, scientific uncertainty is high and commercial returns uncertain,” Mr. Tang said.
“To overcome these barriers, we must encourage new forms of partnership and new models of collaboration that allow innovation to reach those who need it most, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.”
The day-long meeting brought together policymakers, experts, industry and civil society to examine gaps in innovation, supply and access, particularly in lower-income countries. Discussions focused on aligning innovation, manufacturing and access strategies, and on how health, trade and IP policies can reinforce each other.
Professor Ramanan Laxminarayan of the University of Washington delivered a keynote address along with other speakers, including Dr. Ayoade Alakija, Nigeria’s Global Ministerial Envoy for AMR as well as Ms. Gabriella Balasa from the WHO Task Force of AMR Survivors.
Experts discussed how IP, health and trade policies could work together to support innovation, technology transfer and more reliable supply of antimicrobial medicines.
“Strong intellectual property frameworks have a critical role to play. They give researchers, SMEs and industry the confidence to invest in high-risk candidates and to collaborate across borders. They enable voluntary licensing, technology transfer and manufacturing collaborations. And they help safeguard supply chains from substandard or falsified products that endanger lives and fuel resistance,” said Mr. Tang.
Personal testimonies shared during the event drew attention to the human cost of antimicrobial resistance, highlighting its impact on patients and health systems.
“Against this backdrop, it is vital that we continue helping all Members to build strong and resilient IP and innovation ecosystems, where we are able to develop, absorb and deploy new technologies and solutions effectively,” said Mr. Tang.
The symposium forms part of the WHO-WIPO-WTO Trilateral Cooperation, which is aimed at strengthening cooperation and practical coordination on issues around public health, IP and trade. The three organizations meet regularly, exchange information on their respective work programs and plan common activities within the possibilities of their respective mandates.
“Partnerships are really at the heart of what defines this trilateral and our cross-agency work. When we partner together, across institutions, disciplines and borders, we can often deliver more than we could do ourselves. This is the spirit that brings us here today and it is the spirit that must guide the world in confronting AMR and ensuring the miracle of antimicrobials remains a cornerstone of global health for not just for the last century but for generations to come,” said Mr. Tang.