In this podcast, co-hosted and recorded by the A-Factor podcast, we discuss the science of mRNA molecules and the development of mRNA vaccines that can fight Covid-19 and other pandemics.
Our Guest: Dr. Ingmar Hoerr, biologist and founder of the German biotechnology unicorn Curevac. He is recognized as the father behind the technology of mRNA-bases vacancies. In 2000 Hoerr published his doctoral thesis entitled RNA vaccine for the induction of specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) and antibodies. In this work, he discovered that ribonucleic acid can be stabilized. This discovery made it easy to use ribonucleic acid for the development of vaccines and immunotherapies.
From this key discovery, Ingmar, Steve Pascolo, and Florian von der Mülbe built up a company that is now the most advanced company in the research and development of mRNA-based drugs. mRNA-based drugs can be developed for a huge variety of diseases and infections. Since 2000, "The RNA people" have extensive experience in handling and optimizing the versatile molecule RNA for medical purposes. Ingmar triggered the first-ever clinical human trials in the space of mRNA and laid the foundation for the whole mRNA industry. The company already has several active ingredients in R&D for the treatment of cancer, the protection against infectious diseases and protein replacement. Since Ingmar founded CureVac, he and his colleagues raised approximately $500 million in equity. In total CureVac received funding of about $800 million since its inception. CureVac has entered into various collaborations with multinational corporations and organizations, including agreements with Bayer, GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Genmab, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Your hosts of this episode are: Geneticist and Futurologist Dr. Axel Schumacher (@MethyLogix), and Azam Shaghaghi (@AzamShaghaghi)
Curevac: https://www.curevac.com
The company is pioneering the development of a completely new class of drugs based on messenger RNA (mRNA). The basic principle is the use of this molecule as a data carrier for information, with the help of which the body itself can produce its own active substances to combat various diseases.
If you are a researcher you may also want to check out https://www.shivom.io/, our blockchain-powered precision medicine data-sharing platform that allows organizations to share & analyze genetic data (including from Covid-19 patients). The vision of Shivom is to revolutionize healthcare systems, making next-level precision medicine available to all people on earth.
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