{"id":135745,"date":"2021-08-16T16:11:27","date_gmt":"2021-08-16T16:11:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/?p=135745"},"modified":"2021-08-16T16:11:27","modified_gmt":"2021-08-16T16:11:27","slug":"gsk-curevacs-next-gen-covid-19-vaccine-shows-promise-in-monkey-trial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/markets\/gsk-curevacs-next-gen-covid-19-vaccine-shows-promise-in-monkey-trial\/","title":{"rendered":"GSK, CureVac's next-gen COVID-19 vaccine shows promise in monkey trial"},"content":{"rendered":"
(Reuters) -GlaxoSmithKline and CureVac said a study here on macaque monkeys showed their jointly-developed mRNA COVID-19 vaccine candidate to be “strongly improved” in protecting against the virus compared with CureVac’s first attempt.<\/p> The encouraging news on its \u201csecond-generation\u201d vaccine gave CureVac\u2019s German-listed shares an 8% lift, as the stock gradually recovers from a slump in June when the German biotech company\u2019s first vaccine candidate recorded a disappointing 48% efficacy in mass testing on humans.<\/p>\n The companies said on Monday that a blood analysis of the animals showed that the next-generation vaccine known as CV2CoV triggered virus-fighting antibodies as well as immune cells that target infected cells faster and in greater quantities than CureVac\u2019s first-generation vaccine candidate.<\/p>\n The surge in antibodies and immune cells was similar to that observed after a real infection with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, they said.<\/p>\n Higher antibody blood counts were observed across virus variants of concern, including the Beta, Delta and Lambda lineages, they added.<\/p>\n When infected with the original SARS-CoV-2 virus detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan, macaques vaccinated with CV2CoV had better clearance of the virus in the lungs and nasal passages, when comparing the two vaccines.<\/p>\n The results have yet to be peer-reviewed for publication in a medical journal.<\/p>\n U.S.-listed shares of CureVac, which also reported its quarterly financial results on Monday, were up 9.5% in pre-market trading.<\/p>\n GSK and CureVac teamed up in February in a 150 million euro ($177 million) deal to develop the next-generation COVID-19 vaccine from next year, in an attempt to tackle several variants with one shot.<\/p>\n Initial testing of CV2CoV on humans would begin during the last quarter of this year, CureVac said.<\/p>\n ($1 = 0.8496 euros)<\/p>\n