GlaxoSmithKline sues Moderna for US patent infringement over COVID vaccines (updated)

GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals

15/10/2024 15:54

(Adds details and background in paragraphs 3-7, responses from
Moderna and GSK in paragraph 3)

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      Moderna to defend against GSK's claims, spokesperson says
    

        * 
      GSK seeks unspecified monetary damages from Moderna
    

  
    By Blake Brittain
       Oct 15 (Reuters) - British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline
 GLAX.NS  sued Moderna  MRNA.O  in U.S. federal court in
Delaware on Tuesday, accusing its American rival of violating
GSK's patent rights in messenger RNA (mRNA) technology with its
blockbuster COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax.
According to the two lawsuits, Moderna's lipid nanoparticles for
transporting fragile mRNA into the human body infringe several
GSK patents covering similar innovations. GSK filed a related
lawsuit against Pfizer  PFE.N  and BioNTech  22UAy.DE  in the
same court in April over their COVID-19 vaccine. The new
litigation seeks unspecified monetary damages.
     A Moderna spokesperson said the company was aware of the
new litigation and would defend itself against the claims. A GSK
spokesperson said the drugmaker is "willing to license these
patents on commercially reasonable terms and to ensure continued
patient access." 
The lawsuits add to a web of U.S. court cases involving Pfizer,
BioNTech and Moderna over patent royalties for technology used
in their vaccines, including one brought by Moderna against
Pfizer in 2022.
     Moderna earned $6.7 billion in revenue from Spikevax last
year. Pfizer made $11.2 billion from sales of its and BioNTech's
vaccine Comirnaty. Sales of both vaccines declined significantly
last year from 2022.
     GSK said in the new litigation that its patents cover mRNA
technology pioneered in 2008 that provides "the foundation for
Moderna's mRNA vaccine portfolio." GSK said it bought the rights
to the inventions when it acquired part of Novartis'  NOVN.S 
vaccine business in 2015.

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Pfizer v Moderna COVID vaccine patents battle to go to appeal in
UK     ID:nL1N3L60U6 
Moderna forecasts lower sales next year, shares near four-year
low     ID:nL1N3KU0BN 
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(Reporting by Blake Brittain
Editing by David Bario and Will Dunham)
((mailto:blake.brittain@thomsonreuters.com;))