Pennsylvania
Penn expecting $467M windfall from COVID-19 vaccine royalty dispute
Penn Medicine researchers Katalin Karikó Ph.D., and Dr. Drew Weisman Ph.D., won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine for their work on mRNA technology that contributed to the COVID-19 vaccine research.
Patents typically last about 20 years. The university holds at least four patents for its mRNA technology across the United States and Europe.
Researcher Karikó, an adjunct professor at Penn Medicine for 36 years, worked as a senior vice president for BioNTech between November 2013 and October 2022, according to her LinkedIn profile. She is considered an external consultant for the company as of Jan. 2, according to its website.
The COVID-19 vaccine, also known as Comirnaty, generated about $5 billion in sales in 2024.
As part of the deal, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is expected to chip in $170 million for the Penn royalties and $364 million towards the NIH royalties owed.
As a company, BioNTech generated about $3.9 billion in revenue during 2023, down from $17.7 billion in 2022. BioNTech estimated 2024 revenue to be between $2.7 billion and $3.3 billion.
The university licensed its mRNA patents to several companies between April 2010 and August 2020, including Epicentre Technologies Corp., mRNA Biotherapeutics Inc. and Cellscript.
In 2017, BioNTech sublicensed the university mRNA technology from Cellscript and expects to keep developing more pharmaceutical medications, such as cancer treatments and flu vaccines, using the university patented technology.
Licensing revenue at the University of Pennsylvania has been a substantial revenue stream for the Philadelphia institution since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
In fiscal 2021, the university collected $300 million in license revenue. In fiscal years 2022 and 2023, the university garnered $1 billion each year. During fiscal year 2024, it reported $466 million in licensing revenue.
In May 2024, Penn Medicine researchers developed an mRNA vaccine for the H5N1 avian flu, leveraging prior COVID-19 vaccine research. The research was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Duke University Human Vaccine Institute was awarded $7 million from the federal health agencies to conduct clinical trials in early 2025.
But for the commercialization of such research, the university relies on pharmaceutical manufacturers to license such patents and take the drug to market.
It was not immediately clear which companies, if any, have licensed the experimental avian flu technology.
Michigan State football has locked in an official visit with an intriguing defensive back prospect from Pennsylvania.
Trey Hopkins of Wyndmoor, Pa. announced on Saturday that he’s scheduled an official visit to Michigan State for late May. According to a social media post from Hopkins, he will visit Michigan State on May 29.
Hopkins is currently unranked and unrated on 247Sports. He is listed at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, and plays for La Salle College. His position is listed as cornerback.
Michigan State extended Hopkins an offer in late February, and is one of nearly 20 schools to offer him, according to 247Sports. Other than his offer from the Spartans, Hopkins has received offers from Penn State, Maryland, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Wake Forest, USF, Temple, James Madison, Liberty, Miami (OH) and some other group of five or FCS programs.
Michigan State will be the first of three currently scheduled official visits for Hopkins. According to 247Sports, he will also take official visits to Virginia Tech (June 5) and Penn State (June 11).
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A small airplane made an emergency landing on Interstate 78 in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Saturday morning, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Rockwell Commander landed at around 9:20 a.m. after reporting engine issues, the FAA said.
The two people onboard were not injured, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Dashcam video of the incident circulating on social media shows the plane flying low overhead before landing on the interstate and slowing down.
Emily Rivera, who posted the video, was traveling from Harrisburg to Lehigh Valley when she saw the plane make the landing.
“Honestly I was in disbelief because I never expected a plane to land in front of me!” Rivera said, adding that she was impressed with how the pilot landed.
Police said to expect delays in the area and that all traffic eastbound is being detoured onto exit 40. More information will be released later, police said.
The FAA is investigating the incident.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has announced a public hearing on a proposed natural gas pipeline project connected with the Homer City Redevelopment site.
The hearing will focus on the proposed National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit that is part of the Homer City Pipeline project. The plan is to install close to six miles of 30-inch diameter natural gas pipeline from an interconnect facility in Burrell Township to the proposed Homer City Redevelopment site in Center township. The line will run through parts of Burrell, Blacklick and Center Townships.
The hearing will be held May 12th at 5:00 PM at the Indiana Theater.
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