The major Japanese firm says decision prompted by desire to focus more resources on late-stage clinical candidates and core therapeutic areas, while expanding deals.

Moderna seeks damages for sales of Comirnaty in US and other wealthy countries from 8 March onward, a timeframe driven by Moderna's accessibility pledge. Suit claims Pfizer and BioNTech copied two key features of its mRNA technology for their rival COVID vaccine.

The start-up is built around four business units – technology, manufacturing, R&D and therapeutics – based on internal and external expertise. Kriya will take its first gene therapies into the clinic in 2023. 

Deal Snapshot: Building on a 2021 tie-up between Takeda and the Paragon start-up, Evozyne will seek novel protein sequences for inclusion in gene therapies for rare disease indications.