Alnylam Sues Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna Again Over Alleged Patent Infringement

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has filed new complaints against Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna over alleged patent infringement of its biodegradable lipids, which the company claims are essential to the safety and efficacy of the companies’ messenger RNA-based COVID-19 vaccines.

Alnylam previously filed suit against the companies in March for alleged infringement of its patented lipid nanoparticle technology. In the new complaint, which cites a different patent, Alnylam said the lipid technology is used to help prevent the rapid degradation of the vaccines upon administration.

This isn’t the first time the companies have been accused of patent infringement with regard to their COVID-19 vaccines. In late February, Arbutus Biopharma and Genevant Sciences filed a complaint in federal court charging Moderna with infringing on patents related to their mRNA delivery technology.