Alnylam Pharmaceuticals to Appeal Patent Ruling Over Moderna’s COVID Vaccine Technology

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has announced its intention to challenge a recent decision from the U.S. District Court in Delaware regarding two patents that were brought into question in relation to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax.

Alnylam, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, had previously filed lawsuits against both Moderna and Pfizer Inc in Delaware last year, seeking compensation for the use of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology in their vaccines, which facilitates the delivery of mRNA, a crucial component of the vaccines.

These cases are part of a broader trend of patent disputes arising from the technology underpinning COVID-19 vaccines, including a lawsuit filed by Moderna against Pfizer last year.

Although Alnylam and Moderna had previously reached an agreement on the non-infringement of two patents, Alnylam is now contesting the court’s recent decision, indicating its intent to proceed with a second lawsuit against Moderna for patent infringement in the Delaware Court.

Moderna has not yet responded to requests for comment on this matter. Importantly, the court’s ruling in Delaware has no bearing on Alnylam’s patent infringement claims against Pfizer in two separate cases.