Moderna Pharmaceuticals has sued BioNTech and Pfizer, alleging that they are competitors. “copied”Technology used in the creation of its coronavirus vaccine.
On Friday, the company made the announcement that it was taking Pfizer (and BioNTech) to court in the United States for patent and other intellectual property violation cases. The latter is located in Germany.
“We are filing these lawsuits to protect the innovative mRNA technology platform that we pioneered, invested billions of dollars in creating, and patented during the decade preceding the Covid-19 pandemic,”Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, stated in a statement.
Bancel said that the messenger RNA technology is in development and has been since 2010 Bancel noted, adding that the platform was first patentable to be used with coronaviruses back in 2015. Pfizer, BioNTech are now believed to be the company’s preferred suppliers. “unlawfully copied Moderna’s inventions”to their products. “continued to use them without permission.”
BioNTech, which collaborated with Pfizer for the Comirnaty vaccination, claimed it was aware of the lawsuit, but maintained that all its work is being done. “original”And that’s exactly what it would “vigorously defend against all allegations of patent infringement.”
Moderna initially stated that it wouldn’t enforce any patents related Covid-19 in 2020 to guarantee access to vaccines. But, later, it narrowed the pledge to low- or middle-income countries. This means that large competitors like Pfizer might still face legal action. Moderna said that the company isn’t seeking to take Comirnaty off market. It merely seeks compensation for any alleged IP breaches.
Following a series of similar lawsuits against pharmaceutical firms, Moderna was also taken to court this year by Genevant Sciences, Arbutus Biopharma, and Moderna for their alleged patent-pending vaccine technology. Pfizer and BioNTech, meanwhile, were sued by Germany’s CureVac last month over claimed IP infringement, and yet another company, Alnylam, has made similar allegations against Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna.
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