Baker & McKenzie advised CureVac GmbH on the Equity investment agreement with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Foundation will invest 46 million euros (52 million dollars) in CureVac. In addition the Foundation will fund various programs for the development of vaccines.
CureVac, a Tübingen-based clinical stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2000, is pioneering the field of mRNA-based technology platforms for medical purposes, in which unmodified mRNA is specifically optimized and formulated. CureVac has been developing novel mRNA-based cancer immunotherapies and prophylactic vaccines against infectious diseases – both under the brand RNActive. Moreover, CureVac’s technology RNArt is designed as molecular therapy to trigger the body’s own production of therapeutic proteins without stimulating the immune system.
With this investment, the Foundation supports and accelerates the development of CureVac's technology platform, in particular the construction of a production plant according to GMP standards (Good Manufacturing Practice) on an industrial scale.
Baker & McKenzie advised CureVac on all IP aspects of the transaction under the lead of Munich-based partner Dr. Constanze Ulmer-Eilfort. "With this cooperation, our client is now able to grow even quicker and use the latest technology to develop much needed medication that is both affordable and up to the highest quality standards," comments Ulmer-Eilfort.
Baker & McKenzie regularly advises clients on the in-licensing and out-licensing of drugs and technologies, also in the field of biotechnology. Most recently, Baker & McKenzie advised AiCuris GmbH & Co. KG on a license agreement with Merck, Polyphor Ltd. on signing a licensing agreement with Roche and CureVac on a collaboration and license agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim.
Legal Advisor CureVac GmbH:
Baker & McKenzie:
Lead IP: Dr. Constanze Ulmer-Eilfort (partner, Munich)
Team IP: Fabian Boettger (associate, Munich)
In-house CureVac: Dr. Franz Werner Haas
