There are several coronaviruses out there that affect humans, they’ve been around for centuries if not millennia. Research has been going on for years.
The first known case of the novel coronavirus was 31 December 2019, so the patents for the processes to get to producing a viable vaccine doesnt seem too extraordinary to me. NIH didn’t stop it, so I’m guessing the process is not a scandal. I don’t see a bombshell, but I certainly could be missing something.
These companies want to make a profit from their work (intellectual property) which may become problematic like so many brand medicines that won’t go generic.
Here’s a short, interesting read: it’s a little tech heavy, but informative regarding of the patent processes Re COVID-19.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-021-00912-9