Foundational mRNA patents are subject to the Bayh-Dole Act provisions

Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman are often described as the pioneers of the mRNA discoveries that underpin the first COVID-19 vaccines. In 2005 both scientists published a paper reporting that a slightly tweaked version of mRNA that can be administered… Continue Reading →

KEI Sues HHS and the Army over Access to COVID-19 Contracts

On Friday October 16, 2020, KEI filed a lawsuit (under the Freedom of Information Act) against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Army regarding requests for COVID-19 research and development and procurement contracts awarding hundreds… Continue Reading →

COVID-19 Contracts

United States of America Below are links to copies of the contracts entered into by the US government for technologies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. KEI is updating this page as we gain access to more contracts, and less redacted… Continue Reading →

KEI on Moderna’s Oct 8, 2020 Statement on Intellectual Property Matters during the COVID-19 Pandemic

(More on KEI’s work on coronavirus here: https://www.keionline.org/coronavirus, and on Moderna, here: https://www.keionline.org/moderna) Oct 8, 2020 Moderna’s statement on intellectual property matters during the COVID-19 pandemic is very good, and should be matched by every manufacturer of a therapeutic, vaccine… Continue Reading →

KEI request to BARDA concerning Moderna obligations to disclose federal funding in patent applications

On September 2, 2020, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) sent a letter to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) regarding a potential failure by Moderna, Inc. to disclose federal funding in patents supported by BARDA. KEI requested information concerning… Continue Reading →