Product Licensing

The Population Council collaborates with pharmaceutical companies to develop, manufacture, and distribute contraceptives and other products to the global market. In keeping with the Council’s mission, these partnerships include provisions to ensure that products are offered to people in less-developed countries at public-sector prices.

Through its Center for Biomedical Research, the Council has developed and licensed some of the most widely used long-acting, reversible contraceptives in the world. Currently, 170 million women worldwide are using a highly effective contraceptive developed by the Population Council or based on our technology, including the Copper T intrauterine device; Mirena®, the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system; and the implants Jadelle® and Norplant®.

The Council has contraceptive, microbicide, and multipurpose prevention technology (MPTs) products in various stages of development and delivery mechanisms. Products for which we are currently soliciting licensing partners include:

NESTORONE®/Ethinyl Estradiol One-Year Contraceptive Vaginal Ring (CVR)

If approved by regulatory authorities, this CVR would be the first long-acting reversible contraceptive fully under a woman’s control to insert and remove. The Council’s new drug application (NDA) for this product is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Dual-action ring (contraceptive/microbicide)

The Population Council has invented vaginal rings that combine antiviral and contraceptive active pharmaceutical ingredients to protect against HIV infection and pregnancy. Patents for various formulations are pending.

Microbicide gel

The Population Council has invented gels containing carrageenan and other compounds that have shown early promise in preventing HIV infection in animal studies. A carrageenan/MIV-150/zinc acetate combination gel is patent-protected through 2030.

Progesterone Vaginal Ring: Providing Contraception for Breastfeeding Women (AVAILABLE FOR LICENSING OUTSIDE LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN)

This three-month contraceptive vaginal ring releases progesterone and is used to extend the contraceptive effectiveness of lactational amenorrhea in breastfeeding women. The ring is patent-protected through 2016.

Progesterone Vaginal Ring: Hormonal Supplementation and Pregnancy Maintenance (AVAILABLE FOR LICENSING OUTSIDE LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN)

This three-month vaginal ring provides a steady supply of progesterone for pregnancy maintenance during in vitro fertilization and for hormone replacement therapy in menopausal women. The ring is patent-protected through 2016.

MENT® implant

An implant containing MENT®, a synthetic steroid resembling testosterone, is effective for male contraception and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The implant is patent-protected through 2018.

Nestorone® for Multiple Sclerosis

Models indicate that Nestorone®, a synthetic progestin, accelerates neuroregeneration, potentially reversing the course of Multiple Sclerosis, reducing symptoms, and preventing episodes. Population Council has developed two formulations, both delivering Estradiol and Nestorone®, for Phase 2 trials: a vaginal ring and a transdermal gel. Patent pending.

Nestragel™

A Nestorone® estradiol gel may offer a better safety profile compared to commonly-used hormonal contraceptives, and provide an effective, easy-to-use method of contraception requiring once-daily application. Nestragel™ recently completed Phase 2a clinical trials using Antares’ Advanced Transdermal Delivery (ATD™) gel system. Patent pending.

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ULIPRISTAL ACETATE (UPA) INTRAUTERINE SYSTEM (IUS)

This copper and UPA-based IUS has an indication for contraception, with an improved bleeding profile. In partnership with HRA Pharma.