Pfizer countersues Moderna over COVID-19 vaccine claims

(CNN) - Pharmaceutical manufacturing partners Pfizer and BioNTech are counter-suing competitor Moderna over its patent infringement claims against them.

The suit concerns the development of the Pfizer-BioNTech MRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

This all started when Moderna sued Pfizer in August, saying the company violated patents on three key innovations developed before the pandemic.

Pfizer and BioNTech say they did not copy Moderna’s technology to make their shots.

In their counter-suit filed Monday, Pfizer and BioNTech asked the court to dismiss Moderna’s lawsuit and order that Moderna’s patents are invalid and not infringed.

Moderna is also in a public dispute with the national institutes of health over intellectual property rights.

Additionally, the company is being sued by two Biotech companies for the same thing it accuses Pfizer of - patent infringement.