NIH Patent Web

The mRNA vaccine platform for COVID-19 relies on the production of the coronavirus spike protein to elicit an immune response. Moderna, CureVac, Pfizer and BioNTech have all disclosed that the mRNA used in their vaccine candidates encodes a stabilized version of the spike protein that was developed by the NIH. A report by Public Citizen identified a pending patent application on this modified spike protein that was filed by the NIH¹⁹. The NIH also has four other provisional patent applications on a novel coronavirus vaccine as disclosed in a recent publication¹⁷. This complex matrix of patents, licenses and agreements between these entities highlights the intricacies involved in biopharmaceutical development. Since patent numbers are redacted in all the SEC filings, we decided to develop our own patent landscape for the respective entities. Patents and patent applications that are relevant to the respective vaccine technology platform and owned or assigned to any of the entities discussed were identified and highlighted (Supplementary Information)^20,21.

 

 

 

 

 

Guess Who Developed the Spike Proteins Used in COVID Vaccines

In a stunning analysis of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine candidates, patent applications and intellectual property claims, two researchers have discovered that the National Institutes of Health developed the stabilized version of the spike protein used in the vaccines. 

Moderna, CureVAc, Pfizer and BioNTech all disclosed that their mRNA vaccine candidates employ the NIH’s protein. Not only that, the researchers said, “It is also important to note that the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Moderna entered into an agreement in 2019 to co-develop coronavirus vaccines; however, this was before the identification and spread of SARS-CoV-2.” 

To repeat: Moderna and the NIH had an agreement to develop coronavirus vaccines BEFORE the identification and spread of SARS-CoV-2. “The NIH also has four other provisional patent applications on a novel coronavirus vaccine as disclosed in a recent publication,” the researchers added. 

Other findings show that the scientists have been studying mRNA as a novel therapeutic for decades, and that the NIH’s patents are connected to more than a dozen vaccine developers, either directly or through sublicensing. The links are depicted on a graph in the journal Nature Biotechnology.