Novak Djokovic, recently deported from Australia due to his coronavirus vaccine status, is the majority shareholder along with his wife of a Danish biotech firm developing a Covid-19 treatment.
According to information publicly available in the country's business register, Djokovic (40.8%) and his wife Jelena (39.2%) together hold a stake of 80% percent in QuantBioRes, which employs a workforce of around 20 in Denmark, Slovenia, Australia and Britain.
"He is one of the founders of my company we founded in June 2020," QuantBioRes chief executive Ivan Loncarevic said.
"We aim to develop a new technology to fight viruses and resistant bacteria and we decided to use Covid as a showcase.
"If we succeed with Covid, we will succeed with other viruses."
QuantBioRes is planning to launch clinical trials in the UK this summer using a peptide to inhibit the virus from infecting the human cell, the CEO said.
The unvaccinated world number one and reigning Australian Open champion flew out of Melbourne on Sunday after he failed in a last-gasp court bid to stay and play in the opening grand slam of the year, where he was targeting a record 21st major title.
His dramatic departure followed a protracted, high-stakes legal battle between the player and Australian authorities that cast a dark shadow over the tournament.
Djokovic now risks being frozen out of tennis, with rules on travellers who are unvaccinated tightening in the third year of the pandemic and some tournaments reconsidering exemptions.
The most immediate concern is the next grand slam – the French Open in May where Nadal has already amassed a staggering 13 titles – after the country's sports ministry said on Monday there would be no exemption from a new vaccine pass law.
