Dietmar Hopp’s company working on COVID vaccine

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Hoffenheim owner Dietmar Hopp claims a coronavirus vaccine "could be available" by the autumn, providing human trials go ahead as scheduled in the coming months.

Hopp is also the main investor in biopharmaceutical company CureVac, who are currently working on a vaccine to combat Covid-19.

The Hoffenheim chief has revealed that CureVac have been on the frontlines of the crisis since the turn of the year, and he insists that a breakthrough could be made in the next six to seven months.

When asked how long it will be before a vaccine is released to the public, Hopp told Sport1: "That depends on the Paul-Ehrlich-Institute (the german institute for vaccines).

"It has to be tested first with animals and then with human beings. But I think it could be available in autumn at the time when possibly the next wave of infections will come."

The potential for a vaccine has already begun to cause controversy, however, with some sections of the German media claiming United States president Donald Trump is keen to secure a number of the German scientists working on the immunisation to work for the U.S..

Hopp, however, insists that the vaccine will not be privatised, saying: "If we succeed soon to develop an effective vaccine against the coronavirus then this vaccine should reach, protect and help people all over the world and not only in one region."

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