Moderna sues two rivals for ‘copying Covid vaccine tech’

MODERNA is suing Pfizer and BioNTech for allegedly copying its Covid-19 vaccine technology.

The US-based firm has accused the two companies of infringing patents filed between 2010 and 2016 that covered its mRNA technology – which allowed the Covid- 19 vaccines to be developed at neverbefore-seen speed.

Moderna and the partnership of US-based Pfizer and German BioNTech developed two of the first Covid-19 vaccines.

At the start of the pandemic, Moderna said its patents would not be enforced to help other countries develop their own vaccines. But earlier this year, it said it expected global companies to respect its intellectual property rights and is now seeking damages for patent infringement years before the pandemic.

Moderna has no plans to block the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which is sold under the brand name Comirnaty, from the market or stop it being sold in the future due to the vital role of the vaccines.

Several other companies have filed lawsuits against Pfizer and BioNTech, with the partnership facing claims of infringing on patents.

Moderna has also been sued for patent infringement, as well as having an ongoing dispute with the US National Institutes of Health over rights to mRNA technology.

Kevin Noonan, a lawyer specialising in patent litigation at MBHB, said it was unsurprising lawsuits linked to mRNA technology were now ‘coming out of the woodwork’. He told the Financial Times: ‘I think a lot of people were very leery about suing during the pandemic and not making it look like they were doing anything to thwart… or prevent companies from making vaccines.’

Moderna chief executive Stephane Bancel said: ‘We are filing these lawsuits to protect the innovative mRNA technology platform that we pioneered, invested billions in creating and patented during the decade preceding the pandemic.’

Pfizer said it was unable to comment because the legal papers had not been served.