Patent Pools and Local Manufacturing: Pathways to Equitable Access for Long-Acting Antiretrovirals in Tanzania

Abstract

This brief report examines the potential of patent pools and local pharmaceutical manufacturing to overcome critical access barriers to long-acting antiretrovirals (LA-ARVs) in Tanzania. As transformative therapies like long-acting injectable cabotegravir and rilpivirine become the global standard, their prohibitive cost and complex intellectual property (IP) landscapes threaten to exacerbate health inequities across Africa. The analysis employs a desk-based review of policy documents, Medicines Patent Pool licensing agreements (2021–2024), and Tanzanian industrial policy to assess their alignment with public health objectives. Findings indicate that voluntary licensing through patent pools has facilitated generic entry forecasts for 2025–2026. However, local manufacturing capacity for these complex formulations remains nascent. The report contends that a dual strategy is imperative: leveraging pooled IP to secure affordable supply in the immediate term, while strategically investing in regional manufacturing capabilities under the African Medicines Agency framework for long-term health security. This integrated approach is vital for transforming Tanzania's and the wider region's HIV response, shifting from dependency towards a more self-reliant and equitable model. It concludes that without deliberate policy to synchronise IP management with industrial development, the promise of LA-ARVs will remain out of reach for most Africans, perpetuating a tiered system of global healthcare.