Following the announcement of a major strategic initiative, CureVac N.V. (NASDAQ: CVAC) witnessed a bullish trend in its shares on the US stock charts. The CVAC stock partially rebounded from a regular-session loss exceeding 6% by rising 4.49% in after-hours trading to $3.26.

Focus on High-Value mRNA Projects

In order to focus its efforts on high-value mRNA initiatives, notably in cancer and other areas with large unmet medical needs, CureVac (CVAC) has announced a significant strategic restructuring. The goal of this restructure is to create a smaller, more flexible corporation focused on technology innovation, research, and development.

The reorganization comes after GSK and CVAC reached a new license deal worth up to €1.45 billion including royalties. As per the terms of this agreement, GSK will assume responsibility for the creation, production, and worldwide marketing of COVID-19 and influenza initiatives, including their combinations. This transition enables CureVac to concentrate on its core competencies.

Advancements and Future Prospects

CureVac has made notable progress in advancing its mRNA platform, demonstrated by promising Phase 2 data for influenza and COVID-19 and the recent GSK licensing agreement. The new GSK deal not only provides significant financial backing but also allows CureVac to streamline operations and emphasize technological innovation, research, and development. This change allows CVAC to better utilize mRNA technology in other areas for innovative therapeutic methods and to prioritize its cancer projects.

CureVac anticipates reporting data from the Phase 1 study of its cancer vaccine candidate, CVGBM, in glioblastoma in the latter half of 2024. CureVac anticipates having two clinical candidates for shared-antigen cancer vaccines in solid tumors and hematological malignancies by the end of 2025, one of which will be developed in conjunction with M.D. Anderson researchers. The plan includes initiating two additional Phase 1 studies by the end of 2026.

Financial Implications of Restructuring

As a result of the restructuring, CureVac projects operational expenses will decrease by over 30% from 2025 onward, with personnel costs reducing by approximately €25 million. The company estimates one-time restructuring charges of around €15 million, which include employee severance, benefits, and related costs, to be incurred in the fourth quarter of 2024.