Re:Moderna mRNA sequence released to GitHub [pdf]
by OnlyANeurosci on Wednesday March 31, 2021 @11:18AM
(#26648380)
Technically you wouldn't even have to do that. Just change a few codons to alternative codons, it wouldn't even change the amino acids being produced.
While this particular Moderna claim would likely affect BioNTech/Pfizer's mRNA vaccine, it's not clear whether it would survive in litigation, too.
As to a "specific string"-- if you could just pad a few codons onto the end and not be violating the patent, that's not too worthwhile.