Sometimes, it is good to be Pfizer — especially when there is a pandemic they can leverage to their advantage to create a monopolistic market-share of a vaccine that government literally buys from them and markets to patients, or when they can manipulate the government into protecting their data for another half-century. Other times, it isn’t so good to be Pfizer, as was the case with Project Veritas’ story which showed Pfizer employees contradicting the government’s vaccine narrative.
Pfizer can find itself in a dire situation at times that could endanger their business for the next ten years. The potential value of research data and information regarding drug candidates including the COVID-19 formula could be billions. If a competitor has access to certain data and research, it could be possible for them to bypass years of expensive lab research. This would allow for the release of their drug sooner and more economically.
In October of this year, Pfizer became aware of an employee, Chun Xiao Li, who had copied thousands of files from Pfizer’s proprietary systems to both an online file storage system (Google Drive), and her personal computer. These files allegedly contained information regarding the formula of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine as well as other cancer drug formulas on which Pfizer is currently working. These documents are worth millions of dollars, it is no exaggeration.
According to the Li lawsuit, Li filed on November 21 against Li, Li cooperated after confronting Li about the questionable acts.St.
This is the suit
“What Pfizer can say for sure is that its soon-to-be former employee Chun Xiao (Sherry) Li uploaded over 12,000 files— including scores of confidential Pfizer documents—from her Pfizer-issued laptop to a personal Google Drive account and onto other personal devices. Upon learning of Ms. Li’s troubling conduct, Pfizer addressed it with her. Although Ms. Li initially gave the appearance of cooperation, it turns out that Ms. Li instead has misled Pfizer about what she took, how she took it, when and why she did it, and where those files (and possibly others) can be found today.”
Pfizer believes that Li was on her way to Xencor, a rival pharmaceutical company, which has been working on cancer drugs and likely would have been interested in Pfizer’s monoclonal cancer treatments, avelumab and elranatamab. Xencor denies any involvement and thus far, has not made any comment regarding the suit or Ms. Li’s potential employment with Xencor. According to Pfizer and their filed suit, Li’s emails suggested she had accepted a position at Xencor and would be starting by the end of November 2021.
It is not the facts of this case, however that should alarm everyone. First, by Pfizer’s own admission, they have no clue as to where the documents went and who has possession of them today. Pfizer only assumes this was an act committed for the benefit of Xencor, even though again, there’s no proof that Xencor or any of its employees has possession of any of those documents or files. Pfizer’s suit alleges that “somebody else” may be in possession of the proprietary information, naming additional “Does” (essentially a legal placeholder for additional to-be-named parties to the suit):
“Had Ms. Li left Pfizer honorably, she would not be named in this Complaint. However, she chose a different route. She transferred to her personal account and downloaded over 12,000 files. Many of these contain trade secrets and confidential information that Pfizer. She went so far as to provide Pfizer’s security team a decoy laptop, leading Pfizer to believe it was the one she used to download the 12,000 files from her Google Drive account. Forensic analyses confirmed it was not, and Ms. Li (or somebody else, including potentially DOES 1-5) likely remains in possession of the actual computer that contains those 12,000 files.”
Yet, there are numerous issues with this suit that I think that Pfizer is intentionally ignoring, or simply doesn’t have the evidence to prove just yet. What can Pfizer do if they get the data or track down the person who holds the documents?
If it isn’t Xencor, then who does have those files? This could spell total disaster for Pfizer. It is crucial to mention that Li was a Chinese National who was recruited from China by Pfizer in 2006. Li’s presumed publication history, which matches her timeline, shows that she also researches in conjunction with Nanjing University in China. Nanjing University, however, is conducting an investigation into the efficacy of COVID vaccinations.
This is the suit
“On August 2, 2006, Pfizer hired Ms. Li as Associate Director of Statistics in Pfizer’s Global Product Development (“GPD”) group based in China. On or around August 22, 2016, Ms. Li transferred to Pfizer’s facility in La Jolla, California and continued her role as Associate Director of Statistics.”
The GPD Group:
“Pfizer’s GPD group is responsible for evaluating drug efficacy and safety in human clinical trials to obtain regulatory approval for drugs. Given her role and responsibilities as Associate Director of Statistics, Ms. Li had access to highly confidential, proprietary, and trade-secret information related to numerous vaccines and medications, including the COVID-19 vaccine, avelumab, and elranatamab.”
Li was creating proprietary and secret information on drugs, treatments and formulas that could potentially be of significant value. It is well-known that China and, more precisely, its government, do not respect intellectual property laws. RedState has previously reported that China hack into the Department of Defense and stole information regarding the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s development. Then, later with Hunter Biden’s approval and that of the Obama Administration, it purchased an anti-vibration company for the aircraft. A quick comparison of the F-35 and J-31 will show you that China doesn’t innovate a darn thing. They take it.
Pfizer is in trouble if such information is indeed sent to China. Pfizer has no recourse against China, or any Chinese companies that have access to the information. Pfizer might not be willing to go to court if the Chinese government were to retaliate. It certainly could explain why Pfizer is being so gun-shy when it comes to highlighting Li’s country of origin or even suggesting that she could be working with Chinese officials.
There is, however, another question we should be asking: Where is the FBI? Regardless of the type of material stolen or the destination of that material, there doesn’t appear to be, at this point, any investigation into Li or her actions at Pfizer. It is known that the FBI is crowdsourcing its entire investigation into January 6.ThTracking down PTA members furious and flying drones above protests at the Wisconsin BLM, this was all done. But where is their involvement in this matter? This is illegal under the federal Economic Espionage Act of 1996.
Source:
“The EEA contains two separate provisions that criminalize the theft or misappropriation of trade secrets. First, 18 U.S.C. § 1831, is directed towards foreign economic espionage and requires that the theft of the trade secret be done to benefit a foreign government, instrumentality or agent. The second makes it criminal to steal trade secrets commercially, regardless who the benefits. 18 U.S.C. § 1832.
A number of features are important to the EEA. This includes a provision for criminal forfeiture of property and proceeds derived by a violation. 18 U.S.C. § 1834. The EEA allows the Attorney General, to initiate civil enforcement actions against violators and seek appropriate injunctive relief. 18 U.S.C. § 1836. Due to the difficulty in keeping trade secrets secreted during litigation, the EEA mandates that courts take all necessary steps to protect the trade secret. 18 U.S.C. § 1835. The EEA covers all conduct that occurs outside of the United States if the offender is a permanent resident alien or a citizen of the United States or an act to further the offense was committed within the United States. 18 U.S.C. § 1837.”
It is very clear. The law covers both US Citizens (resident aliens), and also considers whether the stolen intellectual properties benefit a foreign nation or someone else. Where is the FBI again? Why hasn’t Li been arrested and held on suspicion of violating this law, until which time the destination of the stolen information is determined? At the very least, why hasn’t Li been prohibited from leaving the country? Pfizer should not be allowed to take civil action against Li when the criminal law protects this type of action.
All of the above require an answer. However, another question comes to my mind: Where is media coverage on this story. The formula for the COVID-19 vaccine was stolen, a topical and important issue, and yet, this story hasn’t made a single major news network to date? Is corporate spying not a news story? How about foreign espionage?
Keep watching as we look deeper into the story.
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