(China applied for this patent in January 2020)

China lab seeks patent on use of Gilead's coronavirus treatment

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - A state-run Chinese research institute has applied for a patent on the use of Gilead Sciences’ experimental U.S. antiviral drug, which scientists think could provide treatment for the coronavirus that has killed hundreds and infected thousands.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology of the China Academy of Sciences, based in the city where the outbreak is believed to have originated, said in a statement on Tuesday it applied to patent the use of Remdesivir, an antiviral drug developed by Gilead (GILD.O), to treat the virus.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week reported a coronavirus patient in the United States was found to show an improvement after taking Remdesivir, which is also used to treat infectious diseases such as Ebola.

Scientists from both institutes said in a paper published in Nature’s Cell Research on Tuesday that they found both Remdesivir and Chloroquine, which is used to treat malaria, to be an effective way to inhibit the coronavirus.

The Wuhan-based laboratory said in its statement that the patent application was filed on Jan. 21 and aimed at protecting China’s national interests. However, it said it would temporarily drop its patent claims if the opportunity arose to collaborate with foreign pharmaceutical firms to fight the epidemic

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-patent/china-lab-seeks-patent-on-use-of-gileads-coronavirus-treatment-idUSKBN1ZZ0RL