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NIAID TTIPO’s extraordinary efforts in “COVID-19 Technologies Licensed Globally Through WHO Program” was recognized by the Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. & Canada) in 2022 with a Deals of Distinction Award in the Industry-University-Government Interface Sector. This award acknowledged the collaborative efforts put forth by the WHO, Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) and the NIH for COVID-19 technologies licensed globally through the WHO program.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recognized NIAID TTIPO’s public health-centered patent management efforts with the Patents for Humanity: COVID-19 category award with the USPTO announcing the award on December 15, 2022. NIAID, Scripps Research Institute, and Dartmouth College invented stabilized coronavirus spike proteins, which were essential to the development of the COVID-19 vaccines used today. The vaccines that incorporate these stabilized spike proteins have been instrumental in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, researchers and technology transfer professionals at NIAID accelerated collaborations with COVID-19 vaccine developers that enabled the rapid study, emergency authorization and public use of urgently needed vaccines. 

Through a CRADA with EMD Serono, NCI played an instrumental role in developing and 
expediting regulatory approval of EMD Serono’s checkpoint inhibitor, avelumab. Avelumab 
received FDA approval in 2017, only four years after EMD Serono and NCI added the study of 
avelumab to their CRADA. This was a remarkably fast developmental and regulatory approval 
timeline.