Moderna and Arbutus did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. The lawsuit, which was filed in 2022, has Arbutus seeking damages for infringement of U.S. patents related to Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine. Arbutus said it developed the so-called lipid nanoparticles that enclose the vaccine's mRNA payload, the patents related to which were licensed to Genevant Sciences, a joint venture between Arbutus and Roivant Sciences Ltd. The technology is used to deliver RNA to target cells without being attacked by the body's immune system.