Pfizer, BioNTech countersue Moderna over COVID-19 vaccine patents

In its lawsuit, Moderna asked for an undisclosed amount of money damages from Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines sold since March. Pfizer's vaccine made over $26.4 billion for the New York-based company in the first nine months of 2022, while Moderna sold over $13.5 billion worth of its vaccine over the same period, according to company filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Pfizer and BioNTech said in their Monday filing that they developed their vaccine independently, calling Moderna's lawsuit "revisionist history" and arguing its patents "far exceed its actual contributions to the field."

The companies argued that Moderna ignored the contributions of their scientists to foundational mRNA technology, as well as those of researchers at the U.S. government's National Institutes of Health.

Moderna also waived its right to bring the lawsuit when it pledged not to sue other COVID-19 vaccine makers during the pandemic, the filing said, arguing the pandemic has not yet ended.

Read also: Alleging patent infringement, Moderna sues Pfizer-BioNtech over use of mRNA technology in COVID vaccine