UPDATE 1-CureVac to drop COVID-19 vaccine candidate, focus on next-gen shot

* Move comes after human trials showed 47% efficacy of
vaccine

* Shares sink 14% on news

* Co pins hopes on next-gen shot it's developing with GSK

* Move means supply deal with EU ends
(Adds details)

BERLIN, Oct 12 (Reuters) - CureVac will withdraw
its first-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate and focus on
collaborating with GSK to develop second-generation mRNA
vaccine technology instead, the Germany-based biotechnology
company said on Tuesday.

The company's shares plunged almost 14% in afternoon
trading, hitting their lowest since listing last August.

The company said it will drop its application to the
European Medicines Agency for regulatory approval of its
first-generation vaccine candidate CVnCoV after late-stage
trials delivered disappointing results with 47% efficacy in
June.

There would be a potential overlap with approval timelines
for a second-generation candidate.

The earliest potential approval of CVnCoV would have come in
the second quarter of 2022 when the candidates from the
second-generation vaccine program are expected to progress to
late-stage clinical development by that time, CureVac said.

As a result, the advance purchase agreement the German
company signed to sell shots to the European Union will end, it
said.

It said it expects to start human trials for its
second-generation shot in the next months, aiming for regulatory
approval in 2022. Results from early-stage animal trials have
shown the strong potential of the shot compared with the
original one, it said.

(Reporting by Zuzanna Szymanska and Josephine Mason
Editing by Riham Alkousaa and Louise Heavens)