CureVac doesn't rule out speedy approval process for its prospective COVID-19 vaccine

On August 16, German biotechnology firm CureVac Chief Executive said it does not rule out a speedy approval process for its prospective vaccine against contagious coronavirus. According to media reports the company expects to put its vaccine in the market by mid-2021. Getting speedy approval shows the company is pushing for an earlier release date. However, Chief Executive Officer Franz-Werner Haas did not give any details on how likely this was. Speaking to an online financial website Franz-Werner Haas said CureVac is not ruling out accelerated approval, but this can only be achieved in close cooperation with the authorities.

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CureVac is backed by philanthropist, billionaire, and Microsoft founder Bill Gates, on August 14 it got listed on the Nasdaq stock market and raised $ 213 million. The outcome of the recently started clinical trials of the company’s perspective coronavirus vaccine will be published in autumn, Haas said. He also reiterated that at the moment approval was expected in the first half of next year.

The company is researching how to use molecules carrying a specific genetic code called messenger RNA (mRNA) to treat a series of diseases, including COVID-19. By using messenger RNA, researchers hope they can compel a patient's own body to create proteins that can play an important role in fighting disease.

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Germany is optimistic

Last week German Health Minister Jens Spahn said that he expects a registered COVID-19 vaccine in the coming months and "definitely next year" as the global vaccine race intensifies after the Russian announcement. Spahn’s forecast regarding the vaccine echoed with a now-withdrawn report by Robert Koch Institute which predicted a vaccine by autumn. However, Spahn declined to announce a specific month, saying there are several factors that need to be analyzed before making such a prediction. The German minister said that there is it yet to be determined the frequency of doses people would need to remain safe from the infectious disease or how long the immunity conferred by the vaccine would last.

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