GSK and CureVac’s second Covid vaccine yields stronger response
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The second-generation Covid-19 vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline and its partner CureVac induces a stronger immune response than the German biotech’s first vaccine, according to a new study.
In an animal study, which has yet to be peer reviewed, the companies said the mRNA vaccine could induce antibodies capable of tackling several variants of concern, including Beta, Delta and Lambda.
The new vaccine elicited a response more quickly and created a higher level of antibodies than CureVac’s first-generation vaccine. It was also better at activating B and T cells, other important elements of the immune system’s response. In a phase 3 trial, CureVac’s first vaccine had an average efficacy of 48 per cent.
The partners plan to start a phase 1 clinical trial on humans of the second-generation vaccine in the fourth quarter. Despite being a large vaccine maker, GSK has yet to have a vaccine approved for Covid-19.
Rino Rappuoli, head of vaccines research and development at GSK, said the mRNA technology was a “strategic priority”.
“The strong immune response and protection in pre-clinical testing of this second-generation mRNA backbone are very encouraging and represent an important milestone,” he added.
The results of the study, which were released on Monday, came as CureVac’s losses widened in the second quarter. The group has been investing heavily in the development of the vaccines and expanding production for the first-generation vaccine. Its operating loss was €147.8m for the three months ending June 30, compared with a loss of €3.2m in the second quarter of 2020.
Revenue was €22.4m, down 35 per cent from a year ago, because of a one-off payment connected with the ending of a contract with US drugmaker Eli Lilly. In the first six months of this year, CureVac is recognising €29.3m of revenues from its two programmes with GSK. The company does not yet have an approved product to sell.
CureVac reiterated its commitment to filing for regulatory approval in the EU for its first-generation vaccine, despite concerns that it is less than 50 per cent effective.
Chief executive Franz-Werner Haas said that while the recent data had “fallen short of expectations in older adults”, it had shown solid efficacy in those aged 18 to 60, and made the case that the vaccine could still play an important role in easing the public health crisis.
“Large parts of the world are still under-vaccinated against Sars-Cov-2, making effective vaccines necessary to prevent further evolution of the virus and to avoid renewed restrictions on public life.”