Medigen shares COVID vaccine tech with WHO in world-first deal

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Medigen shares COVID vaccine tech with WHO in world-first deal

covid.jpg

The Taiwanese biotech firm is the first commercial entity to share IP and know-how via a WHO pool set up in 2020

Taiwanese biotech firm Medigen yesterday, August 29, became the first commercial entity to share COVID vaccine technology with the World Health Organization.

Medigen’s vaccine unit was among three licensors to share tech via the WHO’s COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) in new deals, alongside research institutes in Spain and Chile.

The deals involve the licensing of patents as well as the sharing of know-how, materials, and clinical data.

More than three million doses of Medigen's vaccine have been administered across seven countries.

The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) agreed to share access to a COVID vaccine prototype while the University of Chile will share tech for a COVID antibody test.

“COVID-19 is here to stay, and the world will continue to need tools to prevent it, test for it and treat it,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general.

“I am grateful to the leadership shown by those licence holders who have contributed technology,” he added.

Charles Chen, CEO of Medigen Vaccine Biologics, said solidarity and cooperation were the foundations of an effective pandemic response.

“This is not just about COVID-19; it is about setting a precedent for future global health challenges.

“We hope to inspire other organisations to follow suit,” Chen said.

Previously, only two public health institutes – the CSIC, which signed a separate deal with C-TAP in 2021, and the US National Institute of Health – had agreed to license tech through the WHO pool since it was set up in 2020.

Access to medicine campaigners welcomed the news as a “significant step” and urged major COVID vaccine makers to share their intellectual property.

Julia Kosgei, policy co-lead for campaign group the People’s Vaccine Alliance, said: “By sharing technology with C-TAP, these organisations are placing the needs of humanity over the narrow perception of profit and self-interest that has so far plagued the pharmaceutical industry.”

“It is shameful that, despite receiving unprecedented public funding and advance purchases, not even one of the major pharmaceutical companies has shared vaccine technology with C-TAP,” Kosgei added.

Negotiations for a pandemic prevention treaty, including potential reforms to the global intellectual property system, are currently ongoing at the WHO.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Partners at three law firms explain why trade secrets cases are rising, and how litigation is giving clients a market advantage
Delegates at a conference unpicking the UK’s relationship with the UPC are hopeful of strengthened UK involvement – so should we all be
News of a litigation funder suing its co-founder and a law firm over trade secrets infringement, and a strategic hire by Womble Bond Dickinson were also among the top talking points
Managing IP’s parent company, LBG, will acquire The Lawyer, a leading news, intelligence, and data-driven insight provider for the legal industry, from Centaur Media
In major recent developments, a team of partners broke away from Taylor Wessing to form their own firm, while Kilburn & Strode made a strategic UPC hire
General Court backs Christian Archambeau in some of his challenges against his departure, but dismisses others
Morgan Lewis adds three partners with technical depth, reinforcing the firm’s strategy to bridge legal and tech expertise in patent litigation
The firm posted a 13% increase in profit as well as a rise in overall revenue
Catherine Lee, one of Managing IP’s Top 250 Women in IP 2025, discusses her ‘soft’ approach to leadership and why building a community at work is important
Transactions specialists at Paul Weiss are advising on the high-profile split of Kraft Heinz into two companies, while Skadden is also involved in the deal
Gift this article