CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST(EOI) COORDINATOR PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENTIST

BACKGROUND

ITPC was birthed in 2003 in Cape Town, South Africa, by a committed group of 125 HIV activists from 65 countries who refused to accept a world in which people living with HIV were denied access to life-saving medicine. As ITPC grew into a Global Activist Network (GAN) advocating for the needs of communities affected by HIV and TB, it also laid the groundwork for community-driven work extending beyond singular diseases and addressing the systemic issues affecting people’s health and quality of life— exposing and resisting entrenched global power dynamics that consistently prioritize privilege and profit over the right to health and dignity. Today, we celebrate 20 years, highlighting progress in the fight for equitable access and affordability to treatment, amplifying community power, and building resilience within communities.

The Solidarity Project aims to improve public health outcomes (incidence, prevalence, and reductions in morbidity and mortality) by improving the affordability of key patented health products for HIV, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, cervical cancer, and any public health emergencies in 24 LMICs. The Solidarity Project, which complements other access strategies such as voluntary licenses, aims to address IP barriers in 24 LMICs, by working within the framework of national laws and international agreements such as the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) to facilitate price reductions through market entry of key generic and biosimilar products (GBPs).

Service Provider Scope of Work

ITPC wishes to engage a Coordinator Pharmaceutical Scientist consultant, who will coordinate patent opposition templates development work.

Consultant upon request from ITPC shall:

1. Conduct and supervise prior art search and preparation of scientific arguments for MMA 24 consortium countries (Argentina, Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Georgia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Moldova, Morroco, Senegal, Tunisia, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam) patent oppositions or invalidation lawsuits by preparation of patent oppositions templates for HIV, HCV, TB, cervical cancer, Mpox and COVID-19 medicines (including vaccines) requested by ITPC;
2. Cross-check and provide inputs to draft templates prepared by Senior Pharmaceutical Scientist and Pharmaceutical Scientist;
3. Coordinate work of Senior Pharmaceutical Scientist and Pharmaceutical Scientist involved by ITPC for the patent oppositions templates development;
4. Organize and facilitate regular technical virtual calls of scientific team;
5. Provide or organize preparation of scientific advice/support to country teams, upon request from ITPC;
6. Provide ad hoc scientific support requested by ITPC.

Qualification/Eligibility Requirements to Provider:

• Postgraduate degree in chemistry or pharmacy required, PhD degree in relevant field is a plus;
• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in working on patent oppositions to pharmaceutical patents;
• Experience in coordination and project management of research projects;
• Capacity-building experience in the field of IP and access to medicines is an advantage;
• Experience and/or academic training in public health, health policy, or related field is a plus;
• Fluency in English;
• Experience in collaboration with community-based organizations on patent opposition work.