The Wuhan Institute of Virology — based in the Chinese city at the center of the epidemic — has applied for a patent in China for the use of the antiviral drug, known as remdesivir, in treating the ailment.
The application was made on Jan. 21 together with a military academy, according to a Feb. 4 statement on the institute’s website.
Large areas of China have been paralyzed by the coronavirus, and the move signals a desire to speed development of one of the most promising potential treatments.
Beijing has moved aggressively to contain the infection that has killed almost 500 people and sickened nearly 25,000. If the application succeeds, Gilead would need to get Chinese patent owners on board in sales of the drug for treating coronavirus infections outside China.
“The good thing in having a patent is that it would lead to cross-licensing situations that give China more bargaining chips in negotiating the licensing fee with Gilead,” said Wang Yanyu, a senior partner at AllBright Law Offices in Beijing.
