A second-generation Covid-19 vaccine developed by CureVac and GlaxoSmithKline, designed to protect against coronavirus variants, produced a high level of immune response in a trial in rats, the companies have said.

The shot uses messenger RNA technology, similar to successful vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, and clinical trials of the shot in humans are expected to start in the third quarter of this year, Reuters reported.

Rats immunised with the shot, called CV2CoV, showed quick, strong immune responses, the companies said, and blood serum “showed significant cross-neutralisation against variants first discovered in Denmark (B.1.1.298), the UK (B.1.1.7) and South Africa (B.1.351).”