First ever voluntary license agreement for a cancer medicine

The Access to Oncology Medicines (ATOM) Coalition, a UICC-led initiative launched in May 2022 warmly welcomes the ground-breaking decision by two of its partners, the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) and Novartis, to voluntarily licence nilotinib.

Nilotinib is listed on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines for the treatment of adults and children over the age of one suffering from chronic myeloid leukemia. 

This is the first license that MPP has signed for a cancer treatment, and the first time a company is licensing a patented cancer medicine through a public health-oriented voluntary licensing mechanism.

“This is a first for cancer treatment anywhere and demonstrates that the combined efforts of the private and public sectors can pave the way to help save millions of lives.” 
– Anil D-Cruz, Co-Chair of the ATOM Coalition Executive Committee and the Immediate Past President of UICC.

The agreement furthers the mission of the ATOM Coalition to close the equity gap in accessing life-saving cancer medicines to allow patients in low-income settings to live better and longer.

The announcement by MPP and Novartis was made on the final day of UICC´s flagship event, the World Cancer Congress, held this week in Geneva, Switzerland.

“The ATOM Coalition was instrumental in facilitating this agreement and through this network of partners, the Coalition is helping to ensure that more drugs become increasingly affordable and accessible around the world. Innovative solutions like the one announced today should be an example for others to follow, helping millions more people access essential, life-saving cancer medicines.” 
– Gilberto Lopes, Co-Chair of the ATOM Coalition Executive Committee, Member of the UICC Board and Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Miami.