The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has opened a priority track for patents related to the COVID-19 pandemic, another signal of federal government intent on overcoming this new plague. However, Scott Marty, a partner with the Atlanta office of Ballard Spahr LLP, told BioWorld that while the program offers some distinct advantages for pandemic-driven patents, inventors should have their filings in good form before entry because any delays incurred by a less-than-airtight application could lead the PTO to boot the application out of this program.

Dermtech Inc., of La Jolla, Calif., has had a busy couple of weeks, revealing late last month that its noninvasive melanoma detection test is available for use via telemedicine. Now, the company has unveiled first-quarter results that saw assay revenue of $0.8 million, a 238% increase from the first quarter of 2019.

LONDON – Lateral flow diagnostics specialist Mologic Ltd. has teamed up with Biosure Ltd., manufacturer of the only CE approved HIV home testing kit, to produce a COVID-19 antibody self-test. The companies are combining Mologic’s validated IgG antibody lateral flow strip with Biosure’s test kit, and say the product will be ready for mass production at the beginning of June.

HONG KONG – Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has given the green light to Tokyo-based Fujirebio Inc.’s antigen test kit. Fumihito Takanashi, a spokesperson from the medical device evaluation division of the MHLW, told BioWorld that the approval came into effect May 14.

LONDON – Geopolitical tensions over the issue of access to COVID-19 vaccines intensified this week, after the CEO of French pharmaceutical company Sanofi SA said the U.S. government would get first access to its product because it was first to fund the research.