A Graduated Approach to Intellectual Property

In 2016, we expanded our existing approach to filing and enforcing patents to ensure we balance the need to protect our intellectual property with a country’s economic maturity.

We will no longer file patents for medicines in least-developed countries (LDCs) and low-income countries. In lower middle income countries (LMICs), we will apply for patents when we believe it is appropriate, but we will also offer licences that allow supplies of generic versions of medicines to these countries (other than G20 countries) for 10 years. We will continue to seek full patent protection in high-income countries, upper-middle-income countries and G20 countries when we think it is appropriate to do so.

In line with this approach, in 2016 ViiV Healthcare – a global specialist HIV company majority owned by GSK – extended their existing licence agreement with the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) for the adult formulation of dolutegravir for the treatment of HIV to include the vast majority of LMICs.

We have also outlined our intent to commit to patent pooling for our future portfolio of cancer treatments and are exploring with the MPP how this concept could help address the increasing burden of cancer in developing countries. We are working towards making information about our current and future patent portfolio freely available.

Read more: IP and access to medicines in developing countries

Watch: GSK's commitment to HIV treatment since the 1980s