CuraVac Expands into the Veterinary Market

CuraVac is venturing into new territory with the official launch of its veterinary unit. Remaining focused on myasthenia gravis as its primary target, the company aims to commercialize a treatment for dogs by 2028. The initiative is part of a parallel and mutually beneficial development strategy between what are now its two branches: the original human health unit and the new veterinary unit. This “symbiotic” approach is designed to accelerate CuraVac’s overall development while also serving as a gesture of gratitude toward our four-legged companions, who helped establish the effectiveness of Professor Blalock’s approach, starting in the 1990s.

Dogs at the Origin of Targeted Active Therapy

It was dogs that first provided tangible evidence of the effectiveness of complementary peptides in treating myasthenia gravis. In a study conducted at the turn of the century and published in 2007, a cohort of 20 dogs that had each received at least two doses of the experimental immunotherapy achieved a 75% remission rate occurring in under three months on average.

Nearly twenty years later, veterinary medicine has evolved and new treatments have emerged. Yet the most recent studies—conducted in 167 dogs receiving today's standard of care—compare fall short in comparison, reporting remission in only 18% of cases over a median period of 24 months.

Building on these pioneering canine studies, CuraVac drew inspiration from the use of complementary peptides to develop its Targeted Active Therapy (TAT) platform and derive a practical treatment candidate for myasthenia gravis, CV-MG01. The approach has already shown promise, with Phase 1b clinical trials successfully completed in humans. But what about dogs? Isn't it time to repay them for their contribution?

Two Different Paths, One Shared Direction

At the root of the disease in both humans and dogs lies the same type of antibody. Because of this shared biology, human treatment development has been able to draw on scientific advances made in dogs and, conversely, the canine program can now directly leverage progress achieved in human clinical development. Early clinical studies in humans have demonstrated excellent safety and tolerability, but the road ahead still requires several years and substantial investment.

Does that inevitably mean a long wait before any treatment reaches the market? Not according to Stéphane Huberty, CEO of CuraVac, who saw in this development gap an opportunity to create a virtuous cycle between the company's human and veterinary programs. “What we set out to create,” explains the company’s founder, “is a synergy between, on one hand, human development, which addresses a large market but requires a long and costly development pathway, and on the other hand, veterinary health, which represents a market roughly one hundred times smaller but could be reached within two years.”

The commercial authorization of CV-MG01, the canine treatment, is indeed within reach. Thanks to its status as a veterinary medicinal product for limited markets—myasthenia gravis is classified as a rare disease, with approximately 3,000 dogs officially diagnosed each year across Europe and the United States—and a positive scientific advice from the confirming sufficient proof of efficacy, the program benefits from a simplified regulatory pathway. The only remaining step before Market Authorisation Application is the manufacturing and validation of a commercial veterinary batch.

From this initiative, Stéphane Huberty and his team expect a chain reaction. Treating thousands of dogs is a goal in itself, but it could also become a powerful catalyst for the human program. Success in veterinary medicine would provide an additional proof of concept while generating revenue from CV-MG01 to help fund the continued clinical development of CV-MG02, its human counterpart.

And after that? The cycle continues. Future revenues could support the adaptation of Targeted Active Therapy to other autoimmune diseases, whether they affect those with four legs or two feet. Progress in one field can drive progress in another. It is this complementary vision that lies at the heart of CuraVac’s decision to integrate veterinary medicine into its broader mission.

To learn more about CuraVac’s veterinary program, visit our Veterinary page.