CureVac to begin trials for next-generation COVID-19 shots within months

German biotechnology company CureVac NV said on Thursday clinical trials for its second-generation COVID-19 vaccine are expected to start within the next few months.

Earlier on Thursday, the company published data that showed its next-generation shot, CV2CoV, produced neutralizing antibodies in monkeys that were comparable to those produced by Pfizer Inc's approved vaccine. The efficacy was also greater than the company's first-generation vaccine, it added.

In October, CureVac gave up on its first-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate, CVnCoV, to focus on collaborating with GSK to develop improved mRNA vaccine technology.

The company also withdrew its application for approval from the European Medicines Agency for CVnCoV after late-stage trials results in June showed only 47% efficacy.

Following the discontinuation, the agreement CureVac signed to sell shots to the European Union also ended, and the company said it expects it would not have to repay the 450 million euros received from the bloc which had been utilised towards the vaccine's development.

The company had 1.06 billion euros in cash as of Sept. 30, and said it was continuing to assess supplier commitments related to the withdrawal of the first-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate (Reporting by Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Vinay Dwivedi)