Not-for-Profit Organization
for Management of Maximized Public Sector Benefits in Health Care
- Creator of Innovative Approaches to Intellectual Property Management
of Health Products for Improved Public Sector Access -
- Partner in Public-Private-Partnerships with Pharmaceutical Manufacturers -
Concept Foundation was established in 1989 through an initiative funded by WHO's Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (WHO/HRP), UNFPA and World Bank, with organizational support from PATH/PIACT and additional funding by the Rockefeller Foundation.
The initial purpose was the technology transfer for the manufacturing of a hormonal contraceptive from WHO/HRP research to pharmaceutical manufacturers in developing countries and to manage intellectual property. This existed in form of clinical data from worldwide WHO trials for a hormonal once-a-month injectable contraceptive - now called Cyclofem®. The related manufacturing know-how was voluntarily provided by the Upjohn Company as support for the initiation of an out licensing program by Concept Foundation. Concept Foundation began to practice this - at that time - novel concept of "Out Licensing" from 1991 onwards after having identified several pharmaceutical companies with adequate manufacturing capacities in developing countries to award a sub license for manufacturing and sales of the product in their countries and regions.
The first product managed under the out licensing program of Concept Foundation started to be available under the trade name Cyclofem® and several other trademarks from late ‘93/early ‘94 onwards in South-East Asia and Latin America after an intensive program of technology transfer to manufacturers in developing countries was completed to establish the manufacturing capabilities. The trademarks for the product, used by our licensees, are owned by the Concept Foundation.
As master licensor for licensing out the intellectual property of Cyclofem® we started to be involved in various public-private partnerships (PPPs) with pharmaceutical companies worldwide for technology transfer and out licensing arrangements thereafter since the early 90s.
Over the many years of operation we have constantly added more projects and products to our portfolio, and more manufacturing licensees to the list of established public - private - partnerships. Correspondingly, we have significantly developed, refined, and expanded our toolbox of intellectual property management instruments for the maximization of public sector benefits from our work.
Concept Foundation is the forerunner and early architect of an efficient out licensing model and public sector oriented intellectual property management for pharmaceuticals. This model has stimulated under the stewardship of Concept Foundation generic pharmaceutical manufacturers worldwide to serve the public sector of developing countries.
Concept Foundation has accumulated extensive experience with project management in late-stage development of pharmaceuticals, especially contraceptive technologies, and with technology transfer to roll-out new technologies in the developing world. Similarly, we have gained extensive experiences and know-how in the management of Private-Public-Partnerships that are becoming an increasingly important management model for global cooperation in the field of healthcare between public sector organizations and pharmaceutical industry for the benefit of the health care provision in developing countries. Concept Foundation is proud to be one of the pioneers in this field of public-private-partnership success.
Our focus is on increasing product availability and product choices for health care services in developing countries through affordable products for public-sector distribution. Our target is to combine affordability of pharmaceutical products -for the benefit of lowest income earners in the developing world- with top quality and modern, latest-generation pharmacological properties. We accomplish this through global knowledge exchange and transfer to and between governmental and non-governmental organizations, international agencies, and by technology transfer to our industrial partners in various countries. We work in close partnership with organizations, companies, and individuals to deliver improvements in reproductive health care services for developing countries.
International health and family planning agencies, foundations, corporations, and governments support the efforts of Concept Foundation. Concept Foundation is registered as a charitable health-care foundation and has the IRS 501(c)3 tax-exempt status.