According to recent reports, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a British pharmaceutical company, has initiated legal action against American pharma giant Pfizer by filing a lawsuit in a Delaware court. GSK claims that Pfizer infringed on its patent for the Respiratory Syncytial Cirus (RSV) vaccine.

In the lawsuit, GSK alleges that Pfizer's RSV vaccine, known as Abrysvo, violates four of its patents related to the antigen used in shots to combat the respiratory disease. GSK states in the complaint that Pfizer knowingly used its claimed inventions in Abrysvo without obtaining permission.

GSK points out that its vaccine had been in development seven years before Pfizer's. As part of the lawsuit, GSK is seeking a jury trial and demanding monetary damages, including lost profits and royalties resulting from Pfizer's alleged patent infringement. The company also seeks an injunction to prevent Pfizer from manufacturing and selling its vaccine in the United States.

In response to the legal action, a Pfizer spokesperson conveyed confidence in the company's intellectual property position, vowing to strongly defend its right to offer its innovative RSV shot to patients.

The rivalry between the two companies extends to the race to dominate the RSV vaccine market, which experts predict could surpass $10 billion by 2030. Both GSK and Pfizer obtained approval from the US Food and Drug Administration in May for their vaccines to be used in adults over the age of 60.

Notably, RSV is responsible for around 14,000 annual deaths in adults aged 65 or older in the US alone. Although the disease generally manifests as mild cold-like symptoms, it can be fatal for more vulnerable individuals if not promptly addressed.

It is worth noting that this is not the first instance of GSK engaging in a legal battle with Pfizer over patent rights. In 2016, GSK sued Pfizer in an Irish court, alleging patent infringement related to the meningitis vaccine.

Last year, Moderna filed a lawsuit against Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, accusing them of patent infringement concerning their Covid vaccine. Subsequently, Pfizer countered Moderna's lawsuit in the same year.

Image source: Reuters