World Coronavirus Dispatch: Why CureVac jab failed despite using mRNA tech

Maldives finds itself in no man's land after last surge, study says previous infection may not offer long-term protection, and other pandemic-related news across the globe

CureVac’s setback shows not all mRNA vaccines are equal

Having seen the successes of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines against coronavirus, there was widespread hope among scientists and experts in general about the revolutionary messenger-RNA technology. However, the Curevac vaccine's weak results (only about 47 per cent efficacy in interim analysis), based on the same mRNA tech, came as a shock to many. It also shows that not all mRNA vaccines can produce promising results. The German biotech firm made some crucial choices that set its candidate apart and experts say key differences between the vaccines probably played a major role in