Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

Canadian Pfizer partner sues to head off patent lawsuit over COVID-19 vaccine

Share

The biotech company that makes mRNA-delivery technology for Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine sued Arbutus Biopharma in Manhattan federal court on Friday, seeking to head off claims that the vaccine infringes Arbutus' patents.

Canada-based Acuitas Therapeutics said Arbutus and partner Genevant Sciences have threatened to sue for potentially billions of dollars in "unjustified royalties" over the vaccine Pfizer developed with Germany's BioNTech.

Acuitas to find that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine does not infringe Arbutus patents and that several Arbutus patents are invalid.

A representative for Arbutus did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Acuitas' claims.

Acuitas chief executive Thomas Madden said in a statement that the company remains confident in its technology but otherwise declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The lawsuit is part of a growing web of patent disputes over COVID-19 vaccine technology. Arbutus sued Moderna over its mRNA technology last month, but has not yet sued Pfizer or Acuitas.

Pfizer and Moderna were hit with patent lawsuits on Thursday by Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, which argued its own lipid nanoparticle mRNA-delivery technology was "essential" to both of the widely used COVID-19 vaccines.

Pfizer said last month that it expected US$32 billion in revenue from its vaccine this year. Moderna has said its vaccine earned the company $17.7 billion in revenue in 2021.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.

Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

A body has been found in the vicinity where a woman went missing on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ont. while kayaking Tuesday night, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

Stay Connected