Pfizer Sues Ex-Employee for Allegedly Stealing 12,000 Company Files

Pfizer has alleged that a former employee, Chun Xiao Li, stole more than 12,000 files, including propriety information pertaining to its COVID-19 vaccine and two cancer therapies.

In a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, the company claimed Li uploaded the documents to her personal drive and devices in anticipation of starting work this week at Xencor, a Monrovia, Calif.-based biotech. Xencor has since withdrawn its offer of employment to Li.

“While Ms. Li possesses thousands of documents potentially related to numerous Pfizer vaccines, drugs and other innovations, this complaint focuses on Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine and its avelumab and elranatamab monoclonal antibodies,” Pfizer said.

Li could not be reached for comment.