The U.S.-based pioneer of mRNA-based pharmaceuticals claims Pfizer and BioNTech infringed its patents with their COVID-19 vaccine. Specifically, a chemical modification that averts an “undesirable immune response” to mRNA and a method “to encode for the full-length spike protein in a lipid nanoparticle formulation for a coronavirus.” Moderna said it proved those technologies worked in trials in 2015 and 2016. (The Logic)
Some of Canada’s largest startups that handle crypto have pushed back on Ontario’s new bill for modernizing its capital markets, saying it gives the Ontario Securities Commission too much discretion in its oversight of the sector. (The Logic)
The Waterloo, Ont.-based company is acquiring Micro Focus at about 2.2 times its pro forma trailing 12-month revenue in an all-cash deal. "Upon completion of the acquisition, OpenText will be one of the world's largest software and cloud businesses,” said CEO Mark Barrenechea in a statement. The company said it will fund the acquisition through existing cash and its revolving credit facility, as well as new debt. (The Logic)
Authorities are reportedly close to an agreement that would allow American securities regulators to travel to Hong Kong to inspect audit records of companies based in mainland China. Finalizing the deal still depends on whether U.S. officials are satisfied that all relevant documents will be transferred to the semi-autonomous city-state. (The Wall Street Journal)
In a shift, the central bank plans to fill the vacancy on its rate-setting council with an external candidate after deputy governor Timothy Lane’s departure in September. The temporary governor won’t have an executive role at the bank, serving as part of a part-time, temporary contract. (The Logic)
Texas comptroller Glenn Hegar published a list of 10 large financial companies and 348 specific funds subject to divestment from state pension funds. The list is based on firms that “boycott energy companies,” according to a statement from the comptroller’s office. Three RBC funds were included on the list. BlackRock, Credit Suisse and UBS were included among the financial firms subject to bans. (The Logic)
Separating its wireless and wired networks so the same bug doesn’t take them both down at once will cost $261 million, the telco said in a regulatory filing, up from the $250 million it estimated in July. (The Logic)
Haun Ventures—the new fund of former Andreessen Horowitz partner and U.S. federal prosecutor Kathryn Haun—led the round. Other investors included Coinbase Ventures and Golden State Warriors owner Joseph Lacob. (The Logic)
Employers in Canada were trying to fill a record 1,037,900 jobs in June as the vacancy rate reached 5.9 per cent, the federal statistics agency reported. That ties a record vacancy rate set in September 2021. (The Logic)
The company said in a memo to staff Wednesday that it will stop offering Amazon Care services at the end of the year as “it is not a complete enough offering for the large enterprise customers we have been targeting, and wasn’t going to work long term.” (GeekWire)