University of Pennsylvania Sues BioNTech Over Unpaid COVID-19 Vaccine Royalties

Lawsuit Details::
The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) has filed a lawsuit against BioNTech, alleging that the company owes significant unpaid royalties for the COVID-19 vaccine developed using mRNA technology patented by UPenn researchers.

Royalty Dispute::
UPenn claims that BioNTech has only paid royalties for vaccine sales in countries where the university holds patents, rather than for all global sales as agreed upon.

Financial Impact::
UPenn has already received $1.6 billion in royalties from BioNTech between 2021 and 2023 but seeks additional payments.

Contract Breach::
The lawsuit alleges that BioNTech breached the licensing contract by paying a lower royalty rate than agreed and not accounting for all worldwide sales.

Research Funding::
The royalties received by UPenn are required to be reinvested in early scientific research under federal law.

Defensive Stance::
BioNTech has stated its intention to vigorously defend against the allegations, disagreeing with UPenn's positions on the matter.