Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CureVac Reports That Its Vaccine Falls Short Of Efficacy Benchmarks
The New York Times: CureVac’s Covid-19 Vaccine Disappoints In Clinical Trial
The German company CureVac delivered disappointing preliminary results on Wednesday from a clinical trial of its Covid-19 vaccine, dimming hopes that it could help fill the world’s great need. The trial, which included 40,000 volunteers in Latin America and Europe, estimated that CureVac’s mRNA vaccine had an efficacy of just 47 percent, among the lowest reported so far from any Covid-19 vaccine maker. The trial will continue as researchers monitor volunteers for new cases of Covid-19, with a final analysis expected in two to three weeks. (Zimmer, 6/16)
USA Today: CureVac Releases Disappointing Vaccine Trial Results, Citing Variants
A vaccine developed by German company CureVac is just 47% efficacious against COVID-19, according to clinical trial data released Wednesday. In a study of about 40,000 people in Latin America and Europe, there were 134 cases, according to the release. Of 124 cases sequenced, just one was attributable to the original COVID-19 strain, and more than half were caused by "variants of concern," according to CureVac. (Bacon, Aspegren and Hauck, 6/16)
AP: Interim Trial Data Shows Low Effectiveness For CureVac Shot
German vaccine maker CureVac said Wednesday that interim data from late-stage testing of its coronavirus shot show a comparatively low effectiveness in protecting people against COVID-19. The results appear to be a significant setback for CureVac’s efforts to develop a coronavirus vaccine, and the company’s stock value tumbled in after-hours trading. (Jordans, 6/16)
The Wall Street Journal: CureVac Shares Plunge Premarket On Disappointing Covid-19 Vaccine Trial
Shares in Germany’s CureVac NV fell by almost half in premarket trading, pointing to hefty losses for investors when the market reopens, after the pharmaceutical company reported disappointing results from a study of its experimental Covid-19 vaccine. (Loftus, 6/17)
