GlaxoSmithKline and Curevac said a study of Macaque monkeys showed the Covid-19 MRNA vaccine candidate developed jointly for “greatly enhanced” in protecting against viruses compared to Curevac’s first attempt.
The encouraging news on the “second generation” vaccine gave Curevac shares registered in Germany, because the stock gradually recovered from the decline in June when the first vaccine candidate Biotech Germany recorded 48% of disappointing efficacy in mass testing in humans.
The company said on Monday that blood analysis against animals showed that the next generation vaccine known as CV2Cov triggered viral battles antibodies and immune cells that targeted infected cells faster and greater amounts than Curevac’s first-generation vaccine candidate.
The surge in antibodies and immune cells is similar to observed after a real infection with SARS-COV-2, Coronavirus which causes Covid-19, they said.
Blood count of higher antibodies observed across viral variants that are a concern, including beta, delta and lambda lineages, which they add.
When infected with the original SARS-COV-2 virus detected in the city of Wuhan China, Macaques vaccinated with CV2COV has a better cleaning of viruses in the lungs and parts of the nose, when comparing two vaccines.
The results have not been reviewed by peer-reviewed for publications in medical journals.
Curevac shares registered in the US, which also reported quarterly financial results on Monday, rose 9.5% in pre-market trade.
GSK and Curevac worked together in February in an agreement of 150 million euros ($ 177 million) to develop the next generation Covid-19 vaccine from next year, in an effort to overcome several variants with one shot.
The initial testing of CV2COV in humans will begin during the last quarter of this year, said Curevac.
($ 1 = 0.8496 Euro)