On Thursday, September 25, 2025, a major step forward by OAPI in supporting member states in the strategic use of intellectual property for value creation was recorded.
OAPI officially launched the MELAK production and marketing project at 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 Pharmaceutical Sciences CEA-CFOREM and protected by a patent at OAPI.
The presented project aims to offer local populations a natural treatment suitable for burns, accessible at a low cost, which will provide many producers of quality shea butter and honey with attractive market opportunities for their products, thus creating added value at the territorial and national levels
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 the Burkina Faso health system illustrates Africa's potential to leverage its local resources and natural products to contribute to improving the health conditions of its population.
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 field
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, self-reliant and forward-looking Africa.
