[0005] The present invention provides new and/or newly isolated influenza hemagglutinin and neuraminidase variants that are capable of use in production of numerous types of vaccines as well as in research, diagnostics, etc. Numerous other benefits will become apparent upon review of the following.

p.30 for reference.

While it disturbs me that people would laid patent to a virus, the patent claims that said virus is meant for the production of vaccines and for use in research.

I am not going to speculate on the implications, but there's the official explaination of the patent.