Alnylam sues Pfizer, Moderna over COVID-19 vaccines

Alnylam claims it is owed a slice of the massive revenues booked by Pfizer and Moderna for their mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines, because they are both infringing patents its holds on a delivery technology. The US biotech has filed a pair of lawsuits in Delaware alleging infringement of US Patent No 11,246,933, which covers lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) made from cationic and PEG lipids that can be used to deliver active agents “such as a nucleic acid.” In an SEC filing, Alnylam said it is seeking a judgment that Pfizer and Moderna have infringed the patent, along with compensation at last equal to “a reasonable royalty for the unlicensed uses made of Alnylam’s patented lipids by Pfizer and Moderna, together with interest and costs as may be awarded by the court.”