Pfizer-BioNTech Fight UK Ruling in COVID Vaccine Patent Clash
BioNTech appeals Moderna’s win in high-stakes mRNA battle
Pfizer and BioNTech asked London’s Court of Appeal on Thursday, July 10, 2025, to reverse a ruling that their Comirnaty vaccine infringed a Moderna patent. The appeal fuels a global fight over mRNA technology that drove billions in vaccine sales.
In July 2024, High Court Judge Richard Meade ruled Moderna’s patent EP 3 590 949 valid and infringed by Comirnaty, granting damages for sales after March 2022. Moderna’s second patent, EP 3 718 565, was deemed invalid.
Pfizer and BioNTech argue Moderna’s mRNA tech was an obvious step, not patentable. Moderna defends its breakthrough. Judge Meade greenlit the appeal, keeping this costly dispute alive.
The stakes are huge. Per company reports, Pfizer projects $5 billion for Comirnaty in 2024 (Reuters: $3.3 billion), and Moderna estimates $3–$3.5 billion for Spikevax (Reuters: $3.2 billion), down from pandemic peaks.
The UK clash began in September 2022 when Pfizer and BioNTech sued to cancel Moderna’s patents. Moderna hit back, alleging infringement. The fight spans Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the US, with a Düsseldorf court ruling for Moderna and the US Patent Office invalidating two Moderna patents in March 2025, per Reuters.
This battle tests who owns the mRNA tech behind these vaccines. Moderna claims it pioneered the science; Pfizer and BioNTech say it built on prior work. The appeal’s outcome could shift billions in damages and shape future patent fights.
Sources: Reuters, JUVE Patent, JUVE Patent, Pfizer, Moderna, Reuters, Patent Blog.