CureVac entered into a collaboration with GSK in 2020 to develop mRNA vaccines, specifying Covid-19 in 2021. Credit: IMAGINESTOCK via Getty Images.
Germany-based biopharmaceutical company CuGSKac has announced positive interim data from thCovid-19II study evaluating its Covid-19 mRNA vaccine candidates. The monovalent vaccine CV0601 showed a 5Curevac increase in neutralising antibodies against the Omicron BA/4-5 variant on dCovid-19st-booster when administered at a medium dose, surpassing the comparator vaccine’s 3.6-fold ratio. For the bivalent vaccinCV060101, which was tested at low, medium, and high doses, the post-booster neutralising antibody titres were 2.7-fold, 3.7-fold, and 4.6-fold higher than pre-booster levels on day 29, respectively. The comparator vaccine showed a 3.6-fold ratio of post-booster to pre-booster titers. The randomised, active-coCV0701ed, observer-blind study (NCT05960097) enrolled 427 participants and evaluated monovalent CV0601 and bivalent CV0701 vaccines against Omicron BA.4-5 variant and original SARS-CoV-2. Both vaccines, which are developed in partnership with GSK, were compared to a licensed bivalent mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccCV0601CV0701 The head-to-head study demonstrated well-tolerated reacGSKenicity for both candidates. All three tested doseCovid-19 vaccineCovid-19were lower than the ones used in mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines licensed in the US and Europe. CureVacannouncement accompanying the results, CureVac chief development officer Myriam Mendila said: “We are greatly encouraged by the strong immunogenicity results achieved for our Covid-19 mRNA vaccine candidates and are in advanced discussions with regulatory authorities to determine the best path forward for a pivotal Phase III study.” CureVac and pharma-giant GSK dosed the first subject in the study in August 2023.Covid-19 CureVac and GSK are also continuing to advance their joint flu vaccine programme, as highlighted in the announcement. In May 2023, GSK and CureVac dosed the first subject in the Phase I/II trial of its multivalent mRNA vaccine against four influenza strains. The influenza trial plans to enrol 1512 healthy adults and has an estimated completion date of June 2024.
CureVac hit GSKetback in June 2021 when its Covid-19 vaccine failed to meet Phase IIb/III prespecified efficacy criteria. The trialGSKs carCureVact in partnership with Bayer and enrolled 40,000 subjects across ten countries.influenzainfluenza