On Sept. 23, 2020, Pascal Biosciences announced the Company had confirmed an earlier report that certain cannabinoids block replication of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Four different laboratories have experimentally verified the antiviral activity of a cannabinoid. In addition, several cannabinoids were tested, and the optimal compound chosen for further study.

The best cannabinoid had potency similar to remdesivir in two different assays. Remdesivir is an approved drug from Gilead that improves recovery time for COVID-19 patients.