German biopharmaceutical company CureVac (NASDAQ:CVAC) has said its potential vaccine against COVID-19, known as CVnCoV, induced an immune response in pre-clinical animal studies, Reuters news agency reported on Friday.

According to CureVac, CVnCoV produced neutralising antibodies and activated T-cells in hamsters and mice.

The new vaccine, which is being tested in humans in early and mid-stage trials, also protected the lungs of hamsters when they were exposed to a live virus, the company said.

CureVac chief technology officer Mariola Fotin-Mleczek was quoted as saying: "The pre-clinical data published today show that our COVID-19 vaccine candidate has the potential to induce an efficacious and balanced immune response, mimicking the natural immune defence and providing lung protection in a relevant challenge model."