Global iboga patent filings highlight urgent need for Gabonese response

Of these, 380 are in the United States, compared to only 20 across the entire African continent. The study identifies 256 patent applications as most threatening to traditional knowledge, with over half focusing on addiction treatment, an ancestral use documented in Gabon for generations. Yann Guignon, President of BOTF-Gabon, urges Gabonese authorities to mobilize and govern the scientific and commercial exploitation of their heritage, rather than merely enduring it.

The findings show that 155 of the 256 most threatening patents claim addiction treatment, a traditional use of iboga. Furthermore, 224 of these 256 filings explicitly mention indigenous knowledge, traditional medicine, or the plant itself as the source of the claimed compounds. The study notes a significant acceleration in filings, with 436 recorded between 2020 and 2025.

While not all patents are necessarily valid or abusive, the report emphasizes that while Gabon debates protecting its heritage, the rest of the world is documenting, transforming, financing, and claiming rights over iboga. BOTF advocates for continuous patent monitoring, legal expertise, documentation of prior art, participation of traditional knowledge holders, support for Gabonese research, local processing, and equitable benefit-sharing. The full report is available on