What specific allegation did CureVac make against Moderna in its patent infringement lawsuit?

CureVac alleged that Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax infringed eight of its U.S. patents related to messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, specifically accusing Moderna of copying its technology for stabilizing fragile mRNA for use in vaccines, and requested royalties from Moderna's Spikevax sales as damages.

How does CureVac's lawsuit fit into the broader legal landscape involving mRNA vaccine patents?

CureVac's lawsuit is part of a wave of high-stakes patent lawsuits from biotech companies seeking royalties for mRNA technology used in blockbuster COVID-19 vaccines; this includes Moderna's ongoing 2022 lawsuit against Pfizer and BioNTech over Comirnaty, BioNTech's separate February 2024 U.S. patent lawsuit against Moderna over its next-generation mNEXSPIKE shot, and additional patent lawsuits filed by GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer, and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals seeking shares of the tens of billions of dollars in revenue generated from COVID-19 vaccine sales.

CureVac sues Moderna for patent infringement over COVID-19 vaccines

Apr 24, 2026

CureVac sued Moderna in Delaware federal court, alleging patent infringement on its mRNA vaccine technology and requesting royalties. This lawsuit adds to a wave of high-stakes intellectual property disputes among major players in the COVID-19 vaccine market.

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