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Their Covid jabs have been given to hundreds of millions of people around the world but now the American pharmaceutical company, Moderna, is suing its rivals - Pfizer and BioNTech - accusing them of copying its Covid vaccine technology.

Moderna says the two firms didn't seek permission before using techniques that it developed before the pandemic. So why is this suddenly an issue now? Kevin Noonan is a partner at the legal firm MBHB and runs the website PatentDocs.

He says: "I think Moderna was aware that this is what Pfizer was doing but they decided it was more prudent to not raise this under the circumstances when everyone was fairly upset about the pandemic and worried about what could happen... they weren't going to talk about it while the house was on fire."

A spokesperson for Pfizer said: 鈥淧fizer/BioNTech has not yet fully reviewed the complaint but we are surprised by the litigation given the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine was based on BioNTech鈥檚 mRNA technology and developed by both BioNTech and Pfizer." They say they will vigorously defend themselves against the allegations.

(Photo: A healthcare worker prepares a dose of Covid-19 vaccine. Credit: Getty Images)

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