Moderna accuses Pfizer and BioNTech of violating its mRNA vaccine patent
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Today, August 26, American pharmaceutical corporation Moderna filed lawsuits in American and German courts against Pfizer and BioNTech. Moderna accuses them of copying technologies that Moderna had developed before the pandemic when creating the mRNA vaccine for COVID-19. “We are filing these lawsuits to protect our innovative mRNA platform, which we pioneered, invested billions of dollars in and patented in the decade leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the company said. Pfizer and BioNTech have not yet commented on the lawsuit.
mRNA vaccines are a more modern option than traditional types of vaccines. They consist of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), which is synthesized based on the information recorded in DNA and contains information about the amino acid sequence of a particular protein. mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 are manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech.
Moderna said it is not going to demand a ban on the distribution of vaccines from Pfizer / BioNTech, as they are vital during a pandemic, but is demanding compensation for the use of its technology. The company did not indicate the amount of the desired compensation. Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna predict that sales of their vaccines will reach $52 billion this year.
According to Kevin Noonan, a patent litigation specialist at MBHB law firm, it is not surprising that the litigation over the use of mRNA technologies began precisely at the current stage of the pandemic. “I think a lot of people were afraid to file lawsuits in the midst of a pandemic so that it doesn’t look like they’re trying to hinder, slow down or obstruct the development of a vaccine. Hence this gap of two and a half years,” says Mr. Noonan.
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