Further analysis has confirmed the disappointing results initially reported from CureVac's trial of its candidate mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, according to the Washington Post.
Earlier this month, the company released an initial analysis that found that its candidate vaccine was 47 percent effective in preventing COVID-19, below the threshold sought by some regulators. According to the Associated Press at the time, CureVac noted that not all the data from its 40,000-person trial in Latin America and Europe had been analyzed.
But now the Post says the company has released its final results. According to CureVac, its candidate vaccine, which was given in a two-dose regimen, was 48 percent effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 across all age groups and 77 percent effective in preventing moderate and severe disease among individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 years old.
The company notes that its results could reflect the complicated viral variant environment in which the candidate vaccine was tested – it reports that many of the COVID-19 cases in their study were caused by variants of concern. The Post notes, though, that other mRNA-based vaccines appear to be effective against new viral variants.