Nutriset, open management of patents
Following joint research, Nutriset and the IRD (French Research Institute for Development) developed an innovative technological process in 1996, for which patents were filed: an oxidation-stable complete food or nutritional supplement with a high energy value, low osmolality and low water content, its preparation method and uses.
This innovation has led to the development of a whole range of products, which Nutriset is adding to year on year on the basis of advancing technological and scientific knowledge. To date, the best known product to result from this innovation is Plumpy’nut®, marketed by Nutriset and members of the PlumpyField network.
By the terms of an agreement with the IRD, Nutriset operates these patents until their expiry.
Patents as a tool to aid development
Consistent with their mandates, Nutriset and the IRD have opted to use these intellectual property rights (patents) as a tool to aid development in developing countries.
The reasoning behind this choice is entirely pragmatic: developing countries – the most affected by the scourge of malnutrition – rarely have the resources required to conduct research in these nutritional fields. Nutriset has therefore chosen to give them access to its own research results by allowing genuine, reliable enterprises (public or private companies or NGOs) based in the countries concerned (and not part of multinational corporations) to obtain operating licences unhampered by restrictive financial conditions. Enterprises wishing to do so can either join the PlumpyField network, or obtain “simple” licences from Nutriset.