CureVac Streamlines European Network for mRNA Product Manufacturing
- CureVac right-sizes manufacturing network to adapt to changes in vaccine peak demands
- Demand reassessed for first-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate, CVnCoV, currently under regulatory review with EMA
- Contracts with manufacturing partners WACKER and Celonic terminated; Rentschler Biopharma and Novartis contracts unaffected
CureVac N.V., a global biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of transformative medicines based on messenger ribonucleic acid (“mRNA”), today announced its strategic decision to adjust the long-term footprint of the external European manufacturing network for its mRNA product pipeline. The decision was made in response to the reduced short-term peak demand for vaccines following the first wave of the pandemic vaccination efforts and corresponding changes in the demand of its first-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate, CVnCoV, currently under regulatory review with the European Medicines Agency (EMA). As a result, the existing contracts with WACKER for the manufacturing of the mRNA drug substance of CVnCoV and Celonic for the manufacturing and formulation of the mRNA drug substance of CVnCoV will be terminated. CureVac’s existing agreements with Rentschler Biopharma and Novartis for mRNA production and formulation are unaffected by this adjustment and remain in place. Streamlining of capacity does not limit availability of clinical trial material for CV2CoV, the second- generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate jointly developed with GSK, expected to enter the clinic in the fourth quarter of 2021.