Qatar invests in vaccine-maker CureVac

By Rahul Vaimal, Associate Editor
  • Follow author on
CureVac Image
Representational Image

Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has acquired an undisclosed percentage of stake in German biotech company CureVac during its participation at the biotech firm’s $126 million financing round.

QIA is the latest high-profile investor to come on board CureVac before it heads to a potential stock market listing. This is the fourth capital infusion in two months for the firm which had sold its 10% stake for a $171 million investment to British pharmaceutical company GSK this week.

CureVac’s total investment from private financing round now stands at $640 million including $343 million investment from the German government also made ain June in for its 23% stake.

The Tuebingen-based company, which is backed by Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates, also secured an $85.79 million loan from the European Investment Bank earlier this month.

CureVac is said to have raised $126 million from QIA and a group of existing and new investors.

CureVac is a pioneer in the so-called messenger RNA approach for developing vaccines and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for infectious diseases. mRNA vaccines use ribonucleic acid (RNA), a chemical messenger that evinces an immune response when injected by instructing cells to make proteins that mimic pathogens.

The approach, also being deployed in experimental COVID-19 vaccines by BioNTech and partner Pfizer and Moderna, is yet to be approved in any therapy. The firm is planning a stock market listing in September or October as per reports.

YOU MAY LIKE