American pharmaceutical company Moderna is renouncing the patent on its coronavirus vaccine in 92 low- and middle-income countries, the company announced on Tuesday.
Specifically, it concerns the countries that participate in the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Covax programme, aimed at equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines.
However, the company stated that it pledged never to enforce its patents in those countries, provided that the manufactured vaccines are only being used in those 92 countries.
Third, we are expanding our patent pledge to never enforce #COVID19 #patents in the Gavi COVAX AMC for 92 low- and middle-income countries. https://t.co/2CK5Fe6MUP
— Moderna (@moderna_tx) March 8, 2022
On Monday, Moderna already announced that it wants to set up a coronavirus factory in Kenya. The pharmaceutical company will invest $500 million (€460 million) in the production site, which will produce mRNA vaccines for the African continent.
