Arbutus Biopharma Sues Pfizer and BioNTech Over Patent Infringement, Settles With Moderna, and Plans Shareholder Capital Return

Arbutus Biopharma and its licensee, Genevant Sciences, have filed multiple international lawsuits against Pfizer and BioNTech, alleging infringement of their lipid nanoparticle technology used in mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Concurrently, Arbutus received a significant payment from Moderna as part of a separate settlement agreement. The company also announced intentions to return a substantial amount of capital to shareholders through share repurchases, pending board approval and an expected dividend.