"I would imagine that if it was really novel, and if there was really good information, they would want to share it," Friede told the AP. "So, connect the dots."

Sihuan did not say why it had not provided information about the drug to the WHO. A spokeswoman said the drug is "a new molecular entity based on Favipiravir," an existing experimental Ebola drug created by Japan's Fujifilm Holdings Corp. Sihuan has filed for a patent on its improved version of the drug that it expects can be administered orally or via injection, the spokeswoman said.

China's Center for Disease Control told the WHO that the Chinese drug is identical to Favipiravir, Friede said.

Fujifilm Holdings spokesman Kana Matsumoto told the AP that her company also questioned whether Sihuan's drug was new.

"We have already notified the Chinese Embassy that Avigan (another name for Favipiravir) is protected by a substance patent, application patent and process patent in China," she said.

Tianhe was the subject of significant public scrutiny over its financials. In September, a shadowy group tied to speculators betting against Tianhe's stock published allegations that the company had overstated its business in a Morgan Stanley-led public offering just a few months earlier.

An AP investigation corroborated many discrepancies. Tianhe said records cited by AP were outdated and disputed other findings. The controversy drew public notice from its auditor, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd., which Gillis said would have been expected to put extra emphasis on its next audit process.

"The auditors have had plenty of time to look into the allegations and dismiss them," Gillis said. "In this case, everybody would have been paying attention."