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
To: Ken Millburne Technology Transfer Program Food and Drug Administration Via email: Kenneth.millburne@fda.hhs.gov From: James Love Knowledge Ecology International 1621 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20009 https://keionline.org Date: November 30, 2020 Re: Prospective Grant of an Exclusive Patent… Continue Reading
On Friday, 20 November 2020, the World Trade Organization (WTO) convened an informal, virtual meeting of the TRIPS Council to discuss a proposal (IP/C/W/669) co-sponsored by Eswatini, India, Kenya, and South Africa for a waiver from certain provisions of the… Continue Reading
One of the characteristics we have seen in our analysis of COVID-19 contracts is heterogeneity. The Bayh-Dole was enacted in 1980 to provide for uniform provisions on funding agreements regarding the ownership of inventions and the public’s rights. But for… Continue Reading
On November 5, 2020, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals published a redacted version of the contract awarding the company $450 million taxpayers’ dollars for the large-scale manufacture of Regeneron’s investigational COVID-19 antibody treatment. The contract uses Other Transactions Authority to weaken the U.S.… Continue Reading
Moderna has attached three COVID-19 related contracts as exhibits to its SEC 10-Q form for the quarterly period ending in October 2020. The first is the contract between the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Moderna for the… Continue Reading
Lilly recently requested an emergency use authorization for LY-CoV555, an antibody treatment candidate against COVID-19. Like other COVID-19 candidates, the discovery of LY-CoV555 was heavily supported by the U.S. government. The government of Canada has also awarded millions to manufacture… Continue Reading
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals failed to disclose U.S. government funding in a patent that claims antibodies against COVID-19. The obligation to acknowledge U.S. government funding in patents is required under an existing contract between Regeneron and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development… Continue Reading
KEI Research Note 2020:4 Regeneron failed to disclose BARDA funding in their REGN-COV2 patent Luis Gil Abinader October 20, 2020 Regeneron Pharmaceuticals failed to disclose U.S. government funding in a patent that claims antibodies against COVID-19. The obligation to acknowledge… Continue Reading
On Friday, 16 October 2020, the European Union provided the following perspectives during a three hour debate on the proposed waiver from certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the prevention, containment and treatment of COVID-19 co-sponsored by Eswatini, Kenya,… Continue Reading