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Moderna has applied for patents in South Africa relating to its Covid vaccine, prompting fears the company could eventually seek to prevent a new African vaccine manufacturing hub from making its own version of the mRNA shot.
Moderna spokesperson Colleen Hussey confirmed it had filed for patents “related to both the Covid vaccine and Moderna’s platform technology” in South Africa and elsewhere, after a group of 60 Africa-based charities raised concerns about them, but said the move would not block vaccine distribution in Africa.