Moderna, the maker of one of the Covid-19 vaccines, once was the underdog, the startup that rose to the occasion during the 2020 pandemic. It might be hard to remember that given all that’s happened since. The company has enjoyed massive growth and recognition. Its name is plastered on the walls at Fenway Park and Arthur Ashe stadium, home to the U.S. Open. In size and public profile, Moderna is more Goliath than David these days, a point underscored by its recent filing of a patent infringement lawsuit against Pfizer.
Moderna v. Pfizer: What the Patent Infringement Suit Means for Biotech
After an unusual period of cooperation, drug companies are suing each other again.
September 16, 2022
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Summary.
Covid vaccine producer Moderna has sued fellow vaccine maker Pfizer for patent infringement. The company pledged in 2020 not to enforce its patents as many companies raced to develop a vaccine. But in 2022 it amended this pledge saying it may start enforcing its patents in higher-income countries. Wall Street Journal reporter Peter Loftus, the author of a book on Moderna, is not surprised by this move and says it is a signal of a return to business as normal in the biotech industry. Loftus answered questions about what the lawsuit means and what Moderna is doing now that it’s transformed from startup without a product to an industry Goliath.