VIMRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Stamford, Conn., has beenissued a U.S. patent for the use of hypericin as an inactivator ofviruses and retroviruses in blood units for transfusion, thecompany said Wednesday.

The patent also covers medical devices and containers in whichblood is stored or transported.

VIMRx plans to apply the technology covered by this patent tothe development of a system for preventing the spread ofundetected viruses in blood through transfusion.

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