Material transfer agreements are used to document the loan of a drug or material from one person or entity with a proprietary interest in the material to another person or entity for research purposes. Such agreements are governed by contract law and are designed to clarify conditions of use of transferred materials and to protect ownership and intellectual property rights. Terms vary and may include provisions such as publication rights, indemnification, and terms giving the provider of the material the right to own or license royalty-free any inventions resulting from the investigator's use of the material. Such agreements often involve transfer of biological materials to a research laboratory for study.
