On Mar. 2, 2020, Mateon Therapeutics reported the company had been evaluating its therapeutic and AI platforms to aid in the treatment of the current COVID-19 virus outbreak, in response to inquiries about the potential of its technologies. The new division will be dedicated to the development of rapid responses to the current COVID-19 virus outbreak, as well as future virus outbreaks.

The new division has already identified initial anti-viral candidates and has entered into collaborations with researchers at leading Institutions to help advance new product candidates, while simultaneously evaluating the most effective way to test candidates from the Company’s current therapeutic pipeline and AI capabilities.

Taken together, the company plans to develop a rapid response program for therapeutics not just for the current COVID-19 virus, but for other future viruses.In addition to therapeutic approaches for inhibiting virus replication and treating the consequences of infection, the Company is also evaluating the potential of its AI Vision technology to be deployed to help monitor patients infected with the current COVID-19 virus, or any future viruses, while simultaneously reducing the need for direct contact with hospital personnel, which poses a risk to the caregivers.