CureVac

What CureVac does

CureVac N.V. was a German-headquartered biotechnology company (incorporated in the Netherlands, operations centered in Tübingen) that developed messenger RNA-based medicines and therapeutics targeting cancer and infectious diseases. Founded in 2000 by mRNA pioneers including Ingmar Hoerr and Steve Pascolo, the company built a proprietary mRNA technology platform featuring the RNA Printer manufacturing system and mRNA stabilization chemistry protected by eight U.S. patents. Its pipeline spanned oncology assets (expanded via the 2022 acquisition of Frame Cancer Therapeutics for €32 million) and infectious disease vaccines developed in collaboration with GSK.

CureVac operated as a pre-commercial biotech, generating revenue almost exclusively through licensing and development milestones rather than product sales. Its revenue model concentrated on the GSK collaboration, which was restructured in October 2024 into a €1.5 billion licensing agreement covering mRNA influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. This single anchor relationship drove an 89% revenue decline in 2025 once the one-time license fee did not recur, and the company supplemented its balance sheet with an approximately $250 million public share offering in February 2023.

CureVac maintained a defensive IP posture, filing suit against Moderna in April 2026 over alleged infringement of its mRNA stabilization patents, while concurrently settling parallel COVID-19 vaccine litigation with BioNTech and Pfizer. In late 2025, BioNTech SE acquired approximately 86.75% of CureVac's shares through an exchange offer valued at approximately €1.25 billion, completing the acquisition in December 2025 and finalizing Nasdaq delisting on January 16, 2026. Post-acquisition, CureVac operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of BioNTech, with its mRNA technology, oncology pipeline, and RNA Printer platform absorbed into the parent's broader immunotherapy strategy.

Name

CureVac

Legal name

CureVac N.V.

Website

https://curevac.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

CureVac was a German mRNA biotechnology company developing vaccines and therapeutics for cancer and infectious diseases, monetizing its proprietary RNA Printer platform and mRNA stabilization patents through licensing deals. The company was acquired by BioNTech in late 2025 for €1.25 billion and delisted from Nasdaq in January 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

mRNA Therapeutics

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Therapeutic Vaccines (e.g., Cancer/Chronic Infection) (HLAIAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Therapeutic Vaccines (cancer, chronic infection immunotherapy) (HLAAAEAB), Infectious Disease & Antimicrobials Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAG), Pandemic Preparedness & Rapid-Response Vaccines (HLAIAEAF)

Keywords

• MRNA therapeutics
• Cancer immunotherapy
• Infectious disease vaccines
• Biopharmaceutical research
• MRNA technology platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Tübingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. mRNA Vaccine Collaboration Revenue: Collaboration with GSK on mRNA vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious diseases generates licensing and development revenue
2. Pipeline Development: Revenue from development milestones and potential future product launches in oncology and infectious diseases

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

CureVac is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a portfolio of mRNA-based medicines and vaccines, primarily in oncology and infectious diseases. Its core assets include the proprietary RNA Printer manufacturing platform and an mRNA technology portfolio licensed or co-developed with partners such as GSK. The company generates revenue through technology licensing, R&D collaboration milestones, and future product commercialization via its pharmaceutical partners.

Product overview

CureVac N.V. was a German biotech company headquartered in Tübingen that specialized in mRNA technology for developing vaccines and therapeutic treatments targeting cancer and infectious diseases. The company's product portfolio centered on its mRNA technology platform and the RNA Printer for developing vaccines and therapeutic candidates. CureVac maintained pipeline programs across oncology and infectious diseases, including collaborations with GSK on vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious diseases. The company was acquired by BioNTech SE in late 2025 and delisted from Nasdaq by January 16, 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RNA Printer platform
• mRNA-based vaccine and therapeutic pipeline

Quantifiable outcome

• Revenue decline of 89% in recent periods due to absence of one-time license fees

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BioNTechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2025BioNTech SE acquired CureVac N.V. for approximately €1.25 billion ($1.25 billion), completing the acquisition in December 2025 - January 2026. The acquisition aimed to strengthen BioNTech's position in the mRNA field and support its oncology strategy. CureVac was delisted from Nasdaq by January 16, 2026.
• GSKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 October 2024GSK and CureVac restructured their collaboration into a €1.5 billion licensing agreement for mRNA flu and COVID vaccines. The partnership involves development of mRNA-based vaccines targeting influenza and SARS-CoV-2, with GSK gaining access to CureVac's mRNA technology platform.
• Frame Cancer TherapeuticsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2022CureVac acquired Frame Cancer Therapeutics (also referred to as Frame Therapeutics B.V.) for €32 million. The acquisition enhanced CureVac's capabilities in cancer therapeutics development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BioNTech: BioNTech is CureVac's acquirer and the closest direct peer, developing mRNA-based cancer immunotherapies and infectious disease vaccines. Both companies pioneer individualized and off-the-shelf mRNA cancer vaccines with overlapping platforms and target indications.
• Moderna: Moderna is the leading pure-play mRNA therapeutics company, with the Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine franchise and an expanding oncology pipeline. It is the most direct competitor to CureVac's mRNA technology platform and is the named defendant in CureVac's patent infringement litigation.
• Arcturus Therapeutics: Arcturus is an mRNA technology company developing vaccines and therapeutics for infectious diseases and rare liver/RNA-based conditions, with a self-amplifying mRNA platform. It competes head-to-head with CureVac's mRNA technology in vaccines and rare disease applications.
• Translate Bio (Pfizer): Translate Bio, now a subsidiary of Pfizer following the 2023 acquisition, was an mRNA therapeutics company focused on vaccines and protein-replacement therapies. It directly competes in mRNA vaccine/therapeutic development and was a comparable mRNA platform prior to acquisition.

Broad incumbents

• GSK: GSK is CureVac's largest commercial partner (€1.5B licensing agreement for flu/COVID mRNA vaccines) and a major pharmaceutical incumbent with its own vaccine pipeline. Comparable as a global vaccine developer and as the partner validating CureVac's platform economics.
• Pfizer: Pfizer co-developed the Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine with BioNTech and acquired Translate Bio in 2023. It is a broad pharmaceutical incumbent with significant mRNA vaccine infrastructure, making it comparable on platform scope and infectious disease strategy.
• Sanofi: Sanofi is a global pharmaceutical incumbent with an mRNA vaccine program (historically partnered with Translate Bio) and a broad vaccines franchise. Comparable as a diversified vaccines and biologics developer actively building mRNA capabilities.

Emerging players

• Strand Therapeutics: Strand Therapeutics is an emerging mRNA therapeutics company developing programmable mRNA therapies for oncology and other indications. It is comparable to CureVac's oncology pipeline ambition at an earlier stage.
• eTheRNA immunotherapies: eTheRNA is a clinical-stage biotech developing mRNA-based immunotherapies for cancer and infectious diseases, with a focus on proprietary lipid nanoparticle delivery. Comparable as an emerging European mRNA immunotherapy player with overlapping indications to CureVac.
• Kernal Biologics: Kernal Biologics is an early-stage mRNA therapeutics company developing selective mRNA therapies for oncology using proprietary targeting technology. Comparable as an emerging mRNA oncology platform pursuing overlapping therapeutic applications.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CureVacRNA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@biontech2008
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/curevac

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds14 records

Investors16 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CureVac