With the current Coronavirus crisis ongoing, I thought it might be interesting to know where it originated. Note that it was designed to be used in a vaccine.

Coronavirus
Patent number: 10130701
Abstract: The present invention provides a live, attenuated coronavirus comprising a variant replicase gene encoding polyproteins comprising a mutation in one or more of non-structural protein(s) (nsp)-10, nsp-14, nsp-15 or nsp-16. The coronavirus may be used as a vaccine for treating and/or preventing a disease, such as infectious bronchitis, in a subject.
Type: Grant
Filed: July 23, 2015
Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
Assignee: THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE
Inventors: Erica Bickerton, Sarah Keep, Paul Britton

Link to other patents of THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE

Link to the actual patent application (long and well above my knowledge level)