Moderna sues Pfizer, BioNTech for Covid-19 vaccine patent infringement

FILE - This Sept. 21, 2021 file photo shows vials of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines in Jackson, Miss. Moderna is suing its main competitors Pfizer and the German drugmaker BioNTech, accusing the rivals of copying Moderna’s technology in order to make their own vaccine. Moderna said Friday, Aug. 26, 2022, that Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine Comirnaty infringes on patents Moderna filed several years ago protecting the technology behind its preventive shot, Spikevax. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

WASHINGTON, United States, Aug 26, 2022 (AFP): Moderna said Friday it is suing rival vaccine makers Pfizer and BioNTech, alleging the partners infringed on its patents in developing their Covid-19 shot administered to hundreds of millions around the world.

The lawsuits set up a high-stakes showdown between the leading manufacturers of Covid-19 shots that are a key tool in the fight against the disease.