We hear a lot about how scientific and medical progress is impossible without government patents. The following article supports a different story.
It seems the Moderna vaccine will be available thanks to ignoring the patents on the delivery system. Alternatively, if there really are no applicable patents, then Moderna is choosing to keep their delivery system a secret rather than disclosing it to the government for protection.
Admittedly, Moderna does have several patents related to the vaccine, but these seem like minor changes to the RNA payload, which AFAIK would be necessary so their vaccine would be patentable at all.
Throughout this pandemic, medicine has moved at breakneck speed, thanks to relaxing or ignoring regulations on testing, telemedicine, and treatments.