Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna gear up for 2024 London trial over COVID vaccine patents

CureVac NV

16/02/2023 16:05

LONDON, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc  PFE.N  and its
German partner BioNTech SE  22UAy.DE  are gearing up for a 2024
trial with Moderna Inc  MRNA.O  at London's High Court in
competing patent lawsuits over their rival COVID-19 vaccines.
    The case reached London's High Court for the first time for
a preliminary hearing on Thursday, ahead of a trial which is due
to take place in April 2024. 
    Pfizer and BioNTech sued Moderna in London in September,
seeking to revoke two of Moderna's patents in relation to its
messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines.
    Moderna brought its own lawsuit that month over Pfizer and
BioNTech’s Comirnaty vaccine, seeking damages for alleged
infringement of its patents.
    Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna are also engaged in litigation
in Germany, the Netherlands and the United States.
    Moderna’s German and U.S lawsuits, which were filed on the
same day in August, both seek monetary damages. Pfizer and
BioNTech are countersuing in the United States.
    All three companies are also embroiled in U.S. patent
disputes with other companies over the vaccines.
    CureVac, which develops mRNA technology, is involved in
patent lawsuits with Pfizer and BioNTech in Germany and the
United States, as well as at London's High Court, where a trial
is expected to take place in July 2024.
    Germany's CureVac  5CV.DE  and Britain's GlaxoSmithKline
 GSK.L  have been in an mRNA-focused partnership since 2020.
 (Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
 ((Sam.Tobin@thomsonreuters.com;))