LONDON: A legal battle between pharmaceutical giants Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech is set to commence in a London court on Tuesday, revolving around patents related to Covid vaccine technology that played a pivotal role in combating the pandemic.
The dispute centers on Moderna’s allegation that Pfizer and BioNTech violated patent laws with their Comirnaty vaccine. Moderna claims compensation for products manufactured after March 7, 2021. However, Pfizer and BioNTech contest the infringement accusations and seek to invalidate two Moderna patents.
The High Court hearing in London, beginning at 0930 GMT, is expected to extend until mid-May, with a verdict to follow at a later date. Moderna has initiated similar patent infringement lawsuits against Pfizer and BioNTech in the United States and Germany.
The companies reaped substantial profits from utilizing Messenger RNA (mRNA) technology in Covid vaccines, leveraging genetic instructions to prompt the immune system to respond effectively to the virus.
These groundbreaking vaccines obtained approval within months of the WHO declaring a global pandemic in March 2020. Initially, Moderna refrained from enforcing Covid-related patents during the pandemic but altered its stance in March 2021 for countries where supply constraints were resolved.
A spokesperson for Moderna expressed confidence in the robustness of their platform and the strength of their patents. On the other hand, Pfizer/BioNTech is anticipated to argue that Moderna waived its right to enforce Covid vaccine patents.
The outcome of this legal clash will have significant implications for the pharmaceutical industry and the future of vaccine technology development amid ongoing global health challenges.
