On Thursday, September 25, 2025, a major step forward was recorded by OAPI in supporting member states in the strategic use of intellectual property for value creation.
OAPI officially launched the MELAK Production and Marketing Project at the Joseph Ki-Zerbo University in Burkina Faso; a local emulsion based on shea and honey resulting from an innovation developed by the African Center of Excellence for Training, Research and Expertise in Drug Sciences CEA-CFOREM and protected by a patent at OAPI.
The project presented aims to offer local populations a natural treatment adapted to burns, accessible at a low price, which will offer numerous producers of quality shea butter and honey interesting market outlets for their products, thus creating added value on a territorial and national scale.
The valorization of African knowledge recognized by science
Melak is an African pharmaceutical innovation based on the valorization of traditional knowledge and local resources. Its use in Burkina Faso's healthcare system illustrates Africa's potential to leverage its local resources and natural products to contribute to providing populations with favorable health conditions.
With funding supported 80% by OAPI and 20% by Burkina Faso, this collaboration demonstrates a shared commitment to promoting innovation to improve the living conditions of African populations.
An impact that goes beyond the medical framework
For Mondésir OUALOU PANOUALA , Deputy Director General of OAPI, Melak is much more than a medical solution; it is proof of the capacity of African scientific research to contribute to the local economy and the development of the continent.
Through this initiative, OAPI reaffirms its commitment to traditional medicine and local innovation, actively contributing to building a more resilient, autonomous and resolutely forward-looking Africa.
