Full Press Release Details
CureVac's COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate, CVnCoV, Demonstrated
Efficient Protection of Non-Human Primates During SARS-CoV-2 Challenge Infection
T BINGEN, Germany/ BOSTON, USA - January 11,
2021 - CureVac N.V. (Nasdaq: CVAC), a global biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of transformative medicines
based on messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), today announced the publication of preclinical data demonstrating the induction of
robust antibody and T cell responses of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, CVnCoV, in non-human primates. Furthermore, rhesus macaques
were shown to be protected from challenge infection with SARS-CoV-2 following vaccination with 8 g of CVnCoV. The data provided
important evidence on the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of CVnCoV at low doses, supporting the ongoing international
clinical Phase 2b/3 efficacy study applying a 12 g dose. The full manuscript of the preclinical data is available on the pre-print
"These data further strengthen the protective
profile of our lead COVID-19 vaccine candidate, CVnCoV, and complement our recently published preclinical findings,"
said Dr. Mariola Fotin-Mleczek, Chief Technology Officer of CureVac. "Full protection of the lungs of vaccinated
animals supports CVnCoV's potential in protecting humans from the devastating effects the virus has. We are very
encouraged to see that CVnCoV exihibits its protective efficacy already at a low dose, which is even lower than the dose we
advanced into late-stage human clinical testing."
Within the study, CVnCoV was tested in rhesus macaques at 8 g
per dose following a two-dose vaccination schedule at day 0 and day 28. Robust humoral and cellular immune responses include high
levels of spike protein and RBD specific binding, virus neutralizing antibodies and T cells. Upon challenge infection, vaccinated
animals showed a strongly reduced viral load in the upper respiratory tract (nose and throat) and full protection of the lower
respiratory tract (lungs), where the virus was not detectable.
CureVac began development
of its mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate in January 2020. The vaccine is an optimized, non-chemically modified mRNA, encoding
the prefusion stabilized full-length spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and formulated within Lipid Nano Particles (LNPs).
Phase 1 and 2a clinical trials of CVnCoV began in June and September 2020, respectively. Phase 1 interim data reported in November
2020 showed that CVnCoV was generally well tolerated across all tested doses and induced strong antibody responses in addition
to first indication of T cell activation. The quality of immune response was comparable to recovered COVID-19 patients, closely
mimicking the immune response after natural COVID-19 infection. The data supported CureVac's decision to advance a 12 g
dose into its current pivotal Phase 2b/3 study, the HERALD study, which started in December 2020. Clinical trial material is provided
by the company's substantial production capacities for mRNA vaccines at its headquarters in T bingen, supported by the
current expansion of manufacturing capacities in Europe, allowing broad-scale manufacturing of CVnCoV for potential commercial
supply preparedness.
CureVac is a global biopharmaceutical company in the field of messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, with more than 20 years of expertise
in developing and optimizing the versatile biological molecule for medical purposes. The principle of CureVac's proprietary technology
is the use of non-chemically modified mRNA as a data carrier to instruct the human body to produce its own proteins capable of
fighting a broad range of diseases. Based on its proprietary technology, the company has built a deep clinical pipeline across
the areas of prophylactic vaccines, cancer therapies, antibody therapies, and the treatment of rare diseases. CureVac had its
initial public offering on the New York Nasdaq in August 2020. It is headquartered in T bingen, Germany, and employs more
than 500 people at its sites in T bingen, Frankfurt, and Boston, USA. Further information can be found at www.curevac.com.
CureVac Media Contact
Thorsten Sch ller, Vice President Communications
CureVac, T bingen, Germany
T: +49 7071 9883-1577
CureVac Investor Relations Contact
Dr. Sarah Fakih, Vice President Investor Relations
CureVac, T bingen, Germany
T: +49 7071 9883-1298
M: +49 160 90 496949
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