GSK plc has received clearance from the Bundeskartellamt to acquire intellectual property and patent rights related to certain vaccine candidates from CureVac SE. GSK is a global biopharma company offering vaccines, general medicines, and specialty medicines, while CureVac is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing mRNA-based drugs.

The acquisition pertains to vaccines for COVID and seasonal influenza, pandemic and universal influenza, as well as combined influenza and COVID vaccines. Both companies have collaborated on developing these vaccine candidates, which are still in various phases of clinical trials and not yet approved.

The Bundeskartellamt's investigations highlighted the competitive landscape in COVID and influenza vaccine research, with numerous projects ongoing globally. The transaction value threshold under the German Competition Act allowed the examination of this acquisition, with a purchase price of 400 million euros and potential milestone payments and royalties totaling up to 1.05 billion euros.