Israeli Researchers to File Patent for Coronavirus Treatment

Israel’s Biological Research Institute claimed first place in the race to find a treatment for the coronavirus on Tuesday, an antibody which can attack the coronavirus precisely, though it will not be available for use for some months, according to media reports.

The breakthrough is not a vaccine, but rather a drug treatment for those who have already contracted COVID-19.

The institute said the antibody offers three main advantages: it destroys the virus; targets the coronavirus specifically, making preferable to other, more general, antibodies; and it does not contain many additional proteins that can cause complications for patients.

The institute, which is run by the Defense Ministry, and works under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Office, says it is already seeking a patent for the antibody.

“This is an important milestone, but afterwards come complicated tests and a process of getting regulatory approval. Per an assessment by the institute’s scientists, this technological breakthrough is poised to shorten the process, which will go on for several months,” it said in a statement.