Virus Collaborations Could Create Messy Patent Questions

Researchers’ sprint to collaborate on vaccines and treatments for Covid-19 may lead them to overlook precautions they normally would take to stake out ownership of intellectual property.

That may heighten the risk of fights between one-time partners over possibly lucrative discoveries once the pandemic subsides.

“When you’re doing things quickly in response to an emergency, all the problems you normally have in collaborations get worse,” said Liza Vertinsky, an Emory University law professor who researches patent and contract law.

The potential for intellectual property disputes highlight the need for collaborators to take proactive steps, attorneys said. Meticulous record-keeping, early legal ...