Moderna Sues Pfizer and BioNTech for Patent Infringement

Moderna is an innovator of the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine technology that enabled the unprecedented speed in developing the COVID-19 vaccine.

The company now accuses Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech of copying the mRNA technology that Moderna had patented between 2010 and 2016, well before COVID-19 emerged in 2019 and exploded into global consciousness in early 2020.

According to a statement from Moderna in 2020, while pandemic was ongoing the company would not enforce its patents to help others develop their own vaccines, particularly for low- and middle-income countries. But in March 2022 Moderna said the company will stick to its commitment not to enforce its COVID-19 related patents in low and middle-income countries but it expected companies such as Pfizer and BioNTech to respect its intellectual property rights.

Pfizer and BioNTech denied Moderna's claims and indicated that they value and respect valid and enforceable intellectual property rights of others remain confident against these accusations.