Arbutus Suit Says Its ‘Breakthrough’ Tech Sped Moderna Vaccine

Arbutus Biopharma Corp. and Genevant Sciences GmbH filed a patent-infringement lawsuit Monday in Delaware federal court against Moderna Inc. seeking royalties from sales of its Covid-19 vaccine, which they allege uses their technology for a drug-delivery system without permission.

Filing the lawsuit “was necessary because Moderna has not meaningfully engaged in licensing discussions,” Genevant and Arbutus said in a conference call and webcast hosted by Roivant Sciences Ltd., Genevant’s principal shareholder.

Arbutus and Genevant said that were it not for “the rapid, widespread availability of cutting-edge mRNA-based vaccines like Moderna’s,” the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic “would be immeasurably ...