Moderna Resolves COVID-19 Vaccine Patent Litigation with a Record $2.25 Billion Settlement
Moderna made a groundbreaking announcement on March 3, 2026, revealing that it has reached a landmark settlement agreement with Genevant Sciences and Arbutus Biopharma. This agreement resolves all global patent litigation over the lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology used in its COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax.
As per the settlement terms, Moderna will make an upfront payment of $950 million in July 2026. Additionally, a contingent payment of up to $1.3 billion will be made, depending on the outcome of an appeal regarding government contractor liability under Section 1498. If fully realized, the total settlement value of $2.25 billion would make it one of the largest patent settlements in the history of the pharmaceutical industry.
The agreement provides Moderna with a global non-exclusive license to the LNP delivery technology for infectious disease applications, eliminating the need for future royalty payments. This resolution puts an end to all U.S. and international litigation and offers certainty for Moderna’s vaccine pipeline, which includes its flu-COVID combination vaccines. By removing a major financial uncertainty, the settlement greatly benefits Moderna, a company that has generated approximately $48 billion in global COVID vaccine sales.
Source: Fierce Pharma