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