* Says vaccine candidate activated immune system in animal
tests
* Plans to launch first tests on humans in June
* Says to continue to pursue low-dose approach
(Adds details on company, investors, rivals)
By Ludwig Burger
FRANKFURT, May 14 (Reuters) - Germany's unlisted CureVac
said its experimental coronavirus vaccine was shown to trigger
an immune response in animals when given a low dose and the
biotech firm was looking at carrying out its first human trials
in June.
It said on Thursday that the data supported its expectations
that "the vaccine candidate has the potential to induce a strong
immunologic response to neutralise SARS-CoV-2."
The company, in which SAP co-founder Dietmar Hopp
owns a stake of more than 80%, plans to initiate the first
clinical trial in healthy volunteers in June, it said.
Media reports that the United States had tried to gain
access to the vaccine had stirred a political backlash in
Germany in March, with German government members voicing support
for keeping CureVac German.
CureVac's management has denied it had received U.S. offers.
The Tuebingen-based company, which is backed by the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation, previously said it hoped to have a
compound ready by June or July that it could propose to
regulators for testing on humans.
CureVac is using the so-called messenger RNA approach, the
same as rivals BioNTech and its partner Pfizer
as well as Moderna, which have initiated testing on
humans.
Translate Bio and partner Sanofi are also
working on a messenger RNA vaccine.
(Reporting by Ludwig Burger; editing by Tom Sims and Jane
Merriman)