mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate CVnCoV induces high levels of virus-neutralising antibodies and mediates protection in rodents
Open accessPublished version of a preprint
Abstract
mRNA technologies have recently proven clinical efficacy against coronavirus disease 2019 and are among the most promising technologies to address the current pandemic. Here, we show preclinical data for our clinical candidate CVnCoV, a lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated mRNA vaccine that encodes full-length, pre-fusion stabilised severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein. In contrast to previously published approaches, CVnCoV is exclusively composed of naturally occurring nucleotides. Immunisation with CVnCoV induced strong humoral responses with high titres of virus-neutralising antibodies and robust T-cell responses. CVnCoV vaccination protected hamsters from challenge with wild-type SARS-CoV-2, demonstrated by the absence of viral replication in the lungs. Hamsters vaccinated with a suboptimal dose of CVnCoV leading to breakthrough viral replication exhibited no evidence of vaccine-enhanced disease. Overall, data presented here provide evidence that CVnCoV represents a potent and safe vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2.
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Previous studies with rodents and non-human primates have demonstrated protection by CVnCoV.
“Previous studies with rodents and non-human primates have demonstrated protection by CVnCoV2,23,24.”
From Optimization of non-coding regions for a non-modified mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (2022) · cites this paper as [23]
The Discussion reports that CVnCoV protected hamsters against SARS-CoV-2 challenge, supporting the rodent portion of the claim. It does not report protection by CVnCoV in non-human primates; its comparison with primate challenge models concerns other vaccine studies. No page numbers are available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredProtection in macaques was primarily observed in the lower respiratory tract.
“However, protection in macaques was primarily observed in the lower respiratory tract23,24.”
From Optimization of non-coding regions for a non-modified mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (2022) · cites this paper as [23]
In preclinical trials, CVnCoV induced high levels of neutralizing antibodies in rodents and non-human primates, outbalancing immune responses mediated by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and showed better efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 D614G variant.
“In previously preclinical trials, CVnCoV was shown to induce high levels of neutralizing antibodies in rodents and non-human primates, outbalancing immune responses mediated by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells as well as showing better efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 D614G variant.426”
From Advances in COVID-19 mRNA vaccine development (2022) · cites this paper as [426]
The favorable safety profile of the CVnCoV vaccine candidate was confirmed at up to a 12 μg dose.
“The favorable safety profile of the CVnCoV vaccine candidate126,127 using the RNActive mRNA vaccine platform developed by CureVac128 was confirmed at up to a 12 μg dose,129”
From COVID-19 mRNA vaccines: Platforms and current developments (2022) · cites this paper as [127]
In mice, CVnCoV elicited high numbers of S-specific CD8+ T cells after two rounds of vaccination (up to 10% of total splenic CD8+ T cells).
“From the preclinical evidence of CVnCoV in mice, it can be appreciated that high numbers of S-specific CD8+ T cells were detected after two rounds of vaccination (up to 10% of total splenic CD8+ T cells) [56].”
From The dawn of mRNA vaccines: the COVID-19 case (2021) · cites this paper as [56]
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References 63 · Cited by 165
- Authors
- Rauch, S., Roth, N., Schwendt, K., Fotin-Mleczek, M., Mueller, S. O., & Petsch, B.
- Affiliations
- CureVac (Germany) (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Rauch, Susanne
- Petsch, Benjamin
- Venue
- npj Vaccines
- Published
- 2021-04-16
- Volume
- 6
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 57-57
- ISSN
- 2059-0105 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC8052455
- OpenAlex
- W3154769069
- Cited by
- 165
- References
- 63
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 40 · 2021: 58 · 2020: 1 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 10.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- npj Vaccines (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Virus Infections Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
- Keywords
- mRNA vaccines, SARS-CoV-2, lipid nanoparticles, spike protein, virus neutralising antibodies, T cell response, humoral immunity, hamster challenge, vaccine safety, breakthrough infection, COVID-19 vaccines
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