Re: the idea of the IP being stolen by the Chinese

Re: the idea of the IP being stolen by the Chinese...

My initial reaction was exactly the same, but then I gave it some thought. If Chinese companies or the Chinese government want to violate the IP on this, they will, regardless of whether or not CYDY licenses the drug to them. Getting their hands on a sample of leronlimab would be relatively simple in time, and then they figure out how to create the molecule on their own. IP protection is valuable in the US, EU, Australia, Japan, etc,. because the governments enforce the IP, largely via marketing exclusivity. Not because they necessarily protect some secret formula, but the governments regulate and protect the sale of the compounds. China doesn't care about that... but the Chinese wouldn't be allowed to sell a pirated generic outside of (more or less) China either.

With that in mind, I think I actually like the idea of licensing it for cancer in China. Get paid up front hopefully, get some fantastic PR, and maybe there's a chance we get some royalties for a while instead of the Chinese simply taking the compound and doing what they want with it. It should hypothetically have zero effect on licensing and sales in major, protected jurisdictions, and jurisdictions that don't protect IP and marketing exclusivity aren't ever going to be profit centers for a novel compound from a US pharmaceutical company anyways.

Just an alternate take. I hope I'm right.