These were filed by Roger last year, around the time (I think...

These were filed by Roger last year, around the time (I think immediately preceding) the news about MPL v COVID.

Another of the patents that have been granted to Pitney is for the use of aminoacetonitrile compounts in the treatment of mTOR pathway related diseases - it's extremely broad and does mention in the discussion:

"The MPL/autophagy effect according to the present invention shows that MPL and similar AAD's is useful in treating diseases where autophagy is deficient, such as stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, al antitrypsin deficiencies, lysosomal storage disorders, cardiomyopathy, immune disorders and autoimmune disease, bacterial and viral infection, parasites, lipid disorders and even ageing."

It is likely that anyone else looking to use MPL to treat COVID would infringe PAA's IP - even if that 'someone' is the owner of the materials patent.