Having reached over 6 million U.S. COVID-19 cases and nearly 200,000 U.S. deaths, with in-person learning either scuttled or off to a rough start, and with the U.S. economy reeling from layoffs, furloughs, and an economic shutdown, the country's best hope of returning to normal is the development of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. In record time, several vaccine candidates have emerged—among them Moderna's lipid nanoparticle mRNA vaccine. Early clinical results for Moderna's vaccine are promising, and in anticipation of FDA approval, the U.S. government recently pre-purchased 100 million doses. However, significant patent issues are brewing in the background, underlying the risks and rewards of Moderna's vaccine.