Finance
CureVac Sues Moderna for Patent Infringement Over COVID-19 Vaccines
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 24, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 24, 2026
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CureVac, now acquired by BioNTech, has sued Moderna in Delaware federal court seeking royalties, alleging that Moderna’s COVID‑19 vaccine Spikevax infringes eight CureVac patents covering mRNA stabilization technology.
CureVac Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Moderna Over COVID-19 Vaccine
Overview of the CureVac vs. Moderna Patent Dispute
By Blake Brittain
Details of the Lawsuit
April 24 (Reuters) - German biotech company CureVac sued Moderna in Delaware federal court on Friday, alleging that Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax infringed CureVac patents related to messenger RNA (mRNA) technology.
CureVac said in the lawsuit that Moderna copied its technology for stabilizing fragile mRNA to use in vaccines and requested royalties from Moderna's Spikevax sales in damages.
Related Legal Actions and Industry Context
Germany-based BioNTech -- which partnered with Pfizer to create the competing COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty -- acquired CureVac last year. BioNTech filed a separate U.S. patent lawsuit against Moderna over its next-generation mNEXSPIKE COVID-19 shot in February.
Responses from Involved Parties
Moderna said in a statement that it was aware of the lawsuit filed on Friday and will defend itself. Spokespeople for CureVac and BioNTech did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
Broader Patent Litigation in the COVID-19 Vaccine Market
The case is part of a wave of high-stakes patent lawsuits from biotech companies seeking royalties for the technology used in blockbuster COVID-19 vaccines. Moderna sued Pfizer and BioNTech for patent infringement over Comirnaty in 2022, in a lawsuit that is ongoing.
Companies including GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals have also filed patent lawsuits seeking shares of the companies' tens of billions of dollars of revenue from COVID-19 vaccine sales.
Specifics of the CureVac Allegations
CureVac's Friday lawsuit accused Moderna of infringing eight of its U.S. patents.
(Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Edward Tobin)
Key Takeaways
- •CureVac accuses Moderna of copying mRNA stabilization patents and seeks royalties from Spikevax sales.
- •BioNTech acquired CureVac in 2025 and separately sued Moderna earlier this year over its next‑generation mNEXSPIKE shot.
- •This lawsuit is part of a broader wave of mRNA vaccine patent litigation involving major players like GSK, Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna.
Frequently Asked Questions about CureVac sues Moderna for patent infringement over COVID-19 vaccines
1Why did CureVac sue Moderna?
CureVac alleges that Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax infringes on its patents related to mRNA technology, and is seeking royalties from sales.
2What technology is at the center of the dispute?
The lawsuit centers on technology for stabilizing fragile messenger RNA (mRNA) used in COVID-19 vaccines.
3Which other companies are involved in similar patent lawsuits?
BioNTech, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer, and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals have been involved in related patent litigation over COVID-19 vaccine technology.
4Where was the lawsuit filed?
The lawsuit was filed by CureVac in the Delaware federal court.
5How many patents does CureVac accuse Moderna of infringing?
CureVac accuses Moderna of infringing eight of its U.S. patents.
