Material Transfer Agreement

A form of non-exclusive licence for the transfer of research reagents or other research tools (tangible intellectual property). It is most commonly used for the exchange or transfer of biological materials or chemical entities from one party to another but may be used for the transfer of other types of research materials as well, e.g. software, engineering prototypes, etc. An MTA defines the rights of the provider and the recipient with respect to the materials and any derivatives resulting from the use of the said materials.