EmitBio™ Granted Biotech Patent Covering Light to Treat COVID-19 and other Diseases

DURHAM, N.C., Nov. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EmitBio, Inc., a biotechnology company at the intersection of light and life science, today announced the issuance of a new U.S. patent protecting the Company's novel treatment of COVID-19 and the underlying proprietary technology. U.S. patent 11,147,984 strengthens EmitBio's intellectual property portfolio and broadly covers oral devices using light to limit or eliminate a vast array of pathogens including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

"This foundational patent, with lifetime extending through 2040, was issued less than one year after filing using the United States Patent and Trademark Office's COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program," said John Demos, General Counsel, EmitBio. "This program prioritizes examination of patent applications to allow innovators to quickly bring life-saving treatments to market and is a terrific example of the U.S. government responding to COVID-19 by providing support to small business."

In tandem with the patent announcement, EmitBio also reported the publication of the manuscript titled "Visible blue light inhibits infection and replication of SARS-CoV-2 at doses that are well-tolerated by human respiratory tissue" in the journal Scientific Reports. This peer-reviewed manuscript is the first to describe in full detail how safe, visible light can inhibit coronavirus replication in human tissue without damage to the tissue. This manuscript also presents a pathway to expand the current portfolio of SARS-CoV-2 intervention strategies beyond the conventional approaches of vaccine, antibody, and antiviral therapeutics.

"Representing just a fraction of EmitBio's already completed development program, the new fundamental patent and seminal Scientific Reports manuscript together show how light and life science can be combined to provide powerful solutions to seemingly intractable healthcare challenges," stated Dave Emerson, CEO, EmitBio. "Our proprietary biotechnology platform enables a series of safe, personalized treatments for major disease areas such as respiratory infections and airway inflammation. Rapid deployment of this new treatment modality has the promise to not only change the trajectory of the current COVID-19 pandemic but also protect against future microbial threats."

These developments further establish EmitBio as a leader in advanced energy-based biotechnology, pioneering new approaches to both prevent and treat respiratory disease.

About the USPTO Prioritized Examination Pilot Program

Applicants to the innovative United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) program must meet the criteria of containing one or more claims to a product or process related to COVID-19. Such claimed product or process must be subject to an applicable Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. In addition, the request must include a certification that the applicant qualifies for either small or micro entity status.

EmitBio acknowledges outside counsel Withrow & Terranova and Quinn Emanuel, who advised the company.

About EmitBio Inc.

EmitBio™ is a biotechnology company comprised of light and life scientists with focus on the highly specific use of light to stimulate physiological signals and initiate healing at the cellular level. The Company targets using this proprietary technology platform to enable prophylactic and therapeutic treatments for high volume deployment to redefine the standard of care for a number of diseases and conditions. EmitBio Inc. is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, and is an operating subsidiary of KNOW Bio LLC.

For more information, visit www.emitbio.com.

Media Contact:
James A. Pearson
[email protected]
646-522-4297

Investor Contact:
John Oakley,
Chief Financial Officer
[email protected]
(919) 939-7715

SOURCE EmitBio Inc.