Firebrick Pharma (ASX:FRE) has announced that it has received acceptance of its COVID-19 patent by the European Patent Office.
The company stated that the patent has already been granted in the US, Mexico, Australia, and South Africa, with applications in other countries still pending. The patent will now move forward to a national validation process, during which up to 38 participating countries in Europe will also grant the patent.
Firebrick said the patent protects the use of Nasodine Nasal Spray and any other intranasal povidone-iodine (PVP-I) preparations as a method of reducing the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in the nose. Granted claims also cover pre-exposure prophylaxis against SARS-CoV-2, notably in the case of healthcare workers.
The company said the patent is supported by the published clinical trial, which showed that in COVID-19 subjects with early symptoms, the frequent use of Nasodine over three days resulted in 100 per cent clearance of the virus from the nasal passages.