CureVac has appointed Axel Sven Malkomes as Chief Financial Officer.

Malkomes joins CureVac at a pivotal moment as the company enters a new chapter of growth and innovation, bringing over three decades of senior corporate and investment banking experience within the biotech and pharmaceutical industries.

“Axel’s appointment corresponds with a significant milestone in CureVac’s evolution. As we embark on an exciting new phase of corporate development, his extensive expertise and proven leadership in the life sciences sector will be instrumental. Axel will be key in advancing our strategic initiatives, strengthening our financial foundation, and enhancing shareholder value. We are thrilled to welcome him to our leadership team,” said Dr. Alexander Zehnder, Chief Executive Officer of CureVac.

“I am honored to join CureVac at such a transformative time in the company’s journey. With its pioneering mRNA technology and the momentum from the recent deal with GSK, CureVac is well-positioned to make significant advancements in developing innovative medicines. I look forward to leveraging my experience in financial management and corporate growth to support CureVac’s mission and contribute to its future success,” said Axel Malkomes.

Malkomes most recently served as CFO at Cardior Pharmaceuticals GmbH, a private clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering the discovery and development of non-coding RNA-based therapeutics designed to address the root causes of heart disease.

During his tenure, he played a crucial role in strategically and financially preparing the company for capital markets, co-leading significant financing rounds, and supported potential M&A and partnering transactions, culminating in the successful acquisition of Cardior by Novo Nordisk in 2024.

Before Cardior, Malkomes was CFO and Chief Business Officer at Medigene AG, a publicly listed cell therapy company. There, he was instrumental in strategically and financially reshaping the company, significantly extending its cash runway and expanding its portfolio of strategic collaborations.

His extensive experience also includes senior healthcare investment banking roles at Barclays and Société Générale, as well as co-heading European healthcare investments at 3i Group plc, a UK-listed private equity firm with over USD 20 billion in assets under management. Earlier in his career, he held senior operational and corporate leadership positions at Merck KGaA.

Malkomes began his career in investment banking with institutions such as Dresdner Bank, Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette (which later became Credit Suisse), and Lehman Brothers, focusing on corporate finance, M&A, equity capital markets, and private equity transactions in the healthcare and life sciences sectors.

Since 2022, he has been a member of the Board of Directors of Cellectis SA, a cell and gene editing company listed on NASDAQ and Euronext, where he chairs the audit committee.

Malkomes holds a degree in business administration from Otto-Friedrich University in Bamberg, Germany, and has completed executive management programs at INSEAD, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.