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Moderna to Pay Up to $2.25B to Settle COVID Vaccine Patent Dispute
Moderna reaches deal with Genevant Sciences and Arbutus Biopharma over lipid nanoparticle technology used in its COVID-19 vaccine.
Mar. 4, 2026 at 7:51pm
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Moderna has agreed to pay up to $2.25 billion to Genevant Sciences, a subsidiary of Roivant Sciences, and Arbutus Biopharma to settle a long-running legal dispute over the lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology used in Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine. The deal resolves all U.S. and international legal actions accusing Moderna of using the LNP delivery technology owned by Genevant and Arbutus without permission.
Why it matters
The settlement removes a major legal risk for Moderna, eliminating the potential for double-digit royalty payments on its COVID-19 vaccine sales. It also clears the way for Moderna to develop future COVID and COVID/flu combination vaccines without royalty obligations. The deal highlights the high-stakes patent battles over lucrative COVID-19 vaccine technology between pharmaceutical companies.
The details
Under the agreement, Moderna will pay $950 million upfront in July 2026, with an additional $1.3 billion contingent on the outcome of a separate legal appeal. Moderna said it will not owe Genevant and Arbutus any royalties for the LNP technology in its future vaccines. Lipid nanoparticles act as a protective shell that helps fragile mRNA molecules reach human cells intact, allowing the vaccine to work as intended.
- Moderna will pay the $950 million upfront in July 2026.
- The additional $1.3 billion payment depends on the outcome of a separate legal appeal.
The players
Moderna
An American biotechnology company that developed one of the first COVID-19 vaccines using mRNA technology.
Genevant Sciences
A subsidiary of Roivant Sciences that owns the lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technology used in Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.
Arbutus Biopharma
A Canadian biotechnology company that co-owns the LNP delivery technology with Genevant Sciences.
What they’re saying
“The settlement 'removes the worst-case scenario' of potentially double-digit royalty rates, and it also eliminates any future royalty risk for Moderna's upcoming COVID and COVID/flu combo vaccines.”
— Andrew Tsai, Jefferies analyst
What’s next
The deal resolves all U.S. and international legal actions accusing Moderna of using the LNP delivery technology without permission. Genevant and Arbutus had filed a similar lawsuit against Pfizer and BioNTech over the LNP technology in their COVID-19 vaccine, and that lawsuit is still ongoing.
The takeaway
This settlement highlights the high-stakes patent battles over lucrative COVID-19 vaccine technology between pharmaceutical companies. By resolving the dispute with Genevant and Arbutus, Moderna has eliminated a major legal risk and cleared the way for developing future COVID and COVID/flu combination vaccines without royalty obligations.
