Delaware Judge Rules in Favor of Roivant Subsidiary Arbutus in COVID-19 Vaccine Patent Dispute with Moderna

1. A U.S. judge, Mitchell Goldberg, issued a claim construction order that supported Arbutus Biopharma Corporation and Genevant Sciences' interpretation of specific patents related to Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.
2. The lawsuit was filed in 2022, with Arbutus seeking damages for infringement of U.S. patents related to Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.
3. Arbutus developed the lipid nanoparticles (LNP) used to deliver RNA to target cells without being attacked by the body's immune system, which is a patented technology licensed to Genevant Sciences, a joint venture between Arbutus and Roivant Sciences.
4. Moderna's shares fell by 4% on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, after the judge's ruling, while Arbutus' shares rose more than 15%.
5. A trial in the case is set to begin in April 2025.