Ingmar Hoerr

Hoerr graduated from the Johannes-Kepler-Realschule in Wendlingen am Neckar in 1985 {{Cite web|title="Wichtig ist ein Beruf, der Spaß macht"- NÜRTINGER ZEITUNG|url=https://www.ntz.de/nachrichten/wendlingen/artikel/wichtig-ist-ein-beruf-der-spass-macht/|access-date=27 July 2021|website=www.ntz.de|language=en}} and then attended an agricultural high school in Nürtingen, where he obtained his Abitur in 1988.{{Cite web|title=|url=https://www.pressreader.com/germany/hohenloher-tagblatt/20200619/281771336443544|access-date=27 July 2021|via=PressReader}} From 1988 to 1990, he performed civilian service at the DRK Nürtingen as a paramedic. From 1990 to 1996 he studied biology at the University of Tübingen. During his studies, he spent a year at Madurai Kamaraj University, India.{{Cite web|title=1 {{!}} Universität Tübingen|url=https://uni-tuebingen.de/universitaet/aktuelles-und-publikationen/newsletter-uni-tuebingen-aktuell/2018/3/alumni-tuebingen/1/|access-date=27 July 2021|website=uni-tuebingen.de}}

Hoerr did experimental research on the stabilization of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA). In 1999, he received his PhD from Günther Jung, Institute of Organic Chemistry, in cooperation with Hans-Georg Rammensee, Institute of Immunology and Cell Biology (both: University of Tübingen) on the topic of RNA vaccines for the induction of specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and antibodies. In 2000, Hoerr published his doctoral thesis entitled "RNA vaccine for the induction of specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) and antibodies." In his thesis, Hoerr discovered that ribonucleic acid can be stabilized. This discovery made it easy to use ribonucleic acid for the development of vaccines and immunotherapies.{{Cite web|url=http://www.curevac.com/about-curevac|title=About CureVac|website=CureVac}}

The dissertation investigated the development of RNA vaccines that will play a central role in the fight against COVID-19 starting in 2020.{{Cite web|title=Impfstoff-Erfindung: Wird Hoerrs Anteil negiert?|url=https://www.tagblatt.de/Nachrichten/Wird-Hoerrs-Anteil-negiert-488901.html|access-date=27 July 2021|website=Schwäbisches Tagblatt|language=de}} At the time, he vaccinated laboratory mice with an RNA construct and showed that such a vaccine does not immediately decay, as previously thought. Rather, stabilized RNA stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies and activate T cells that destroy pathogens.{{Cite web|title=Entwicklung der RNA-Technologie: Man konnte es einfach spritzen|url=https://www.tagblatt.de/Nachrichten/Als-Ingmar-Hoerr-Guenther-Jung-und-Hans-Georg-Rammensee-im-Jahr-1996-beschlossen-Maeuse-mit-dem-Bote-488900.html|access-date=27 July 2021|website=Schwäbisches Tagblatt|language=de}} As early as 9 September 1999, Hoerr applied for a first patent for the new technology. In 2008 and 2009, the first clinical trials for the use of mRNA as a cancer vaccine were already underway.{{Cite Q|Q33334868}}{{Cite Q|Q53383265}}

Bill Gates, whose foundation invested in CureVac, rated Hoerr's pioneering work as groundbreaking in an interview with German newspaper Handelsblatt: "The first mRNA vaccines,developed by Pfizer-Biontech and Moderna in 2020, are the product of a multitude of ideas and discoveries by German scientist Ingmar Hoerr, who spent twenty years experimenting with messenger RNA."{{Cite web|title=Bill Gates im Interview: "mRNA ist nicht die einzige Plattform, die während der Pandemie Quantensprünge vollzogen hat"|url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/innovationweek/bill-gates-im-interview-mrna-ist-nicht-die-einzige-plattform-die-waehrend-der-pandemie-quantenspruenge-vollzogen-hat/27165560.html|access-date=27 July 2021|website=www.handelsblatt.com|language=de}}

As the success of the m-RNA vaccines grew, so did media interest in Hoerr. Der Spiegel ranked him among the pioneers of m-RNA vaccines,{{Cite news|last=SPIEGEL|first=Markus Feldenkirchen, DER|title=mRNA-Pionier Ingmar Hoerr im »Spitzengespräch«|url=https://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/medizin/mrna-pionier-ingmar-hoerr-im-spitzengespraech-a-be9d2a36-aaad-48fb-abcc-43df347dfae4|access-date=27 July 2021|newspaper=Der Spiegel|date=26 May 2021|language=de}} as did Die Zeit{{Cite news|title=Eine Milliarde Dosen für die Welt |url=https://www.zeit.de/2021/19/curevac-mrna-impfung-corona-ingmar-hoerr-franz-werner-haas|access-date=27 July 2021|newspaper=Die Zeit|date=7 May 2021 |last1=Bahnsen |first1=Ulrich |last2=Grabar |first2=Edda }} or Süddeutsche Zeitung{{Cite web|last=Dostert|first=Elisabeth|title=Curevac-Gründer Ingmar Hoerr: Die Genesung|url=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/curevac-corona-ingmar-hoerr-1.5156925|access-date=27 July 2021|website=Süddeutsche.de|date=23 December 2020 |language=de}} and conducted interviews. There were appearances on popular German talk shows such as Lanz{{Cite web|title=Markus Lanz vom 13. Januar 2021|url=https://www.zdf.de/uri/e2b47262-050b-4caa-8c08-b9239efee198|access-date=27 July 2021|website=www.zdf.de|language=de}} or Nachtcafe.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzh9ZNNjQLQ NACHTCAFÉ: Wofür es sich zu kämpfen lohnt] International interest ranged from the French L'Express{{Cite web|date=12 March 2021|title=Ingmar Hoerr, cofondateur de CureVac : "Notre vaccin sera moins cher et plus accessible"|url=https://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/sciences/ingmar-hoerr-cofondateur-de-curevac-notre-vaccin-sera-moins-cher-et-plus-accessible_2146459.html|access-date=27 July 2021|website=LExpress.fr|language=fr}} to the New York Times.{{Cite news|last=Zimmer|first=Carl|date=5 May 2021|title=This New Covid Vaccine Could Bring Hope to the Unvaccinated World|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/05/health/covid-vaccine-curevac.html|access-date=27 July 2021|issn=0362-4331}}

In May 2021, Ingmar Hoerr and Florian von der Mülbe, together with their partners, Sara Hörr and Kiriakoula Kapousouzi, founded the [https://www.morpho-foundation.com/index_en.html Morpho Foundation], a foundation for the promotion of culture and health projects.{{Cite web|last=Germany|first=Stuttgarter Zeitung, Stuttgart|title=Morpho Foundation: "Wir wollen etwas zurückgeben"|url=https://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/inhalt.morpho-foundation-wir-wollen-etwas-zurueckgeben.e3a1f2d0-2f53-4f83-a98f-72d597abcf39.html|access-date=20 November 2021|website=stuttgarter-zeitung.de|language=de}}

In 2000, Hoerr, together with colleagues from the lab groups of Günther Jung and Hans-Georg Rammensee, founded the biopharmaceutical company CureVac.

In 2018, Hoerr gave up his office as chairman of the board and changed – as Chairman – to the supervisory board. Daniel L. Menichella was hired in that position in order to develop R&D and plants in the U.S., but the board changed its mind in 2020 and fired Menichella.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lecho.be/dossiers/coronavirus/jean-stephenne-curevac-les-essais-du-vaccin-anti-covid-19-vont-debuter-en-juin-en-allemagne-et-en-belgique/10219649.html|title=Jean Stéphenne (CureVac): "Les essais du vaccin anti-Covid-19 vont débuter en juin en Allemagne et en Belgique"|website=www.lecho.be}}

On 11 March 2020, Hoerr took over the position of CEO again at CureVac,{{Cite web|url=https://www.curevac.com/news/company-founder-ingmar-hoerr-succeeds-daniel-menichella-as-ceo-of-curevac-ag|title=Company Founder Ingmar Hoerr Succeeds Daniel Menichella as CEO of CureVac AG | English|website=CureVac|date=11 March 2020}} replacing his interim successor Menichella.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/15/trump-offers-large-sums-for-exclusive-access-to-coronavirus-vaccine|title=Trump 'offers large sums' for exclusive US access to coronavirus vaccine|first=Philip|last=Oltermann|newspaper=The Guardian |date=15 March 2020|via=www.theguardian.com}} Later, Hoerr was replaced by Jean Stephenne as chairman of the supervisory board.

File:Palmer hoerr ehrenbuerger.jpg. ]]

In August 2020, Franz-Werner Haas replaced Hoerr as chief executive officer, after Hoerr suffered a severe health issue that March.{{Cite web|url=https://www.curevac.com/en/2020/08/04/curevac-appoints-dr-franz-werner-haas-as-chief-executive-officer-and-dr-igor-splawski-as-chief-scientific-officer/|title=CureVac Appoints Dr. Franz-Werner Haas as Chief Executive Officer and Dr. Igor Splawski as Chief Scientific Officer|website=CureVac|date=4 August 2020}}

File:Segelbild.jpg

• 2018 – Honorary Senator Universität Tübingen{{Cite web|title=1 {{!}} University of Tübingen|url=https://uni-tuebingen.de/en/universitaet/aktuelles-und-publikationen/newsletter-uni-tuebingen-aktuell/2018/3/alumni-tuebingen/1/|access-date=27 July 2021|website=uni-tuebingen.de}}
• 2020 – Honorary Citizen of the City of Tübingen{{Cite web|last=Aktuell|first=S. W. R.|title=Curevac-Gründer Hörr wird Ehrenbürger|url=https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/baden-wuerttemberg/tuebingen/ingmar-hoerr-wird-ehrenbuerger-der-stadt-100.html|access-date=27 July 2021|website=swr.online|language=de}}{{Dead link|date=September 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• 2021 – Medal of Honor Medical Faculty Universität Duisburg-Essen{{Cite web|date=3 May 2021|title=Auszeichnungen für Impfstoff-Pionier|url=https://dgfi.org/auszeichnungen-fuer-impfstoff-pionier/|access-date=27 July 2021|website=DGFI|language=de-DE}}
• 2021 − Meyer-Schwickerath-Preis der Stiftung Universitätsmedizin Essen für seine Grundlagenforschung zur Boten-Ribonukleinsäure{{Cite web|title=Meldungen aus der UDE|url=https://www.uni-due.de/2021-05-03-auszeichnungen-fuer-impfpionier-ingmar-hoerr|access-date=27 July 2021|website=www.uni-due.de}}
• 2021 – Max-Bergmann-Medaille für die Entwicklung der messenger-RNA- (mRNA)-Impfstoffe als neuartigem Wirkstoffprinzip{{Cite web|title=NewsFullview-attempto {{!}} Universität Tübingen|url=https://uni-tuebingen.de/universitaet/aktuelles-und-publikationen/attempto-online/newsfullview-attempto/article/max-bergmann-medaille-2021-geht-an-dr-ingmar-hoerr-von-der-tuebinger-curevac-ag/|access-date=27 July 2021|website=uni-tuebingen.de}}
• 2021 – German Innovation Award, Innovator of the Year{{Cite web|last=Stölzel|first=Thomas|title=Deutscher Innovationspreis 2021: Drohnen, Gold, dazu Automatisierung und mRNA|url=https://www.wiwo.de/erfolg/management/deutscher-innovationspreis-2021-drohnen-gold-dazu-automatisierung-und-mrna/27364892.html|access-date=27 July 2021|website=www.wiwo.de|date=25 June 2021 |language=de}}

• Günther Jung, Ingmar Hoerr, Hans-Georg Rammensee, Reinhard Obst: Transfer von mRNAs unter Verwendung von polykationischen Verbindungen. [https://register.epo.org/application?number=EP99117771 EP1083232]. Erstveröffentlichung 9. September 1999, Patentinhaber: CureVac.
• Florian Von der Mülbe, Ingmar Hoerr, Steve Pascolo: Stabilisierte mRNA mit erhöhtem G/C-Gehalt und optimierter Codon Usage für die Gentherapie. [https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/de/detail.jsf?docId=WO2002098443&_cid=P20-KNIR3G-78128-1 WO2002098443]. Erstveröffentlichung 12. Dezember 2002, Patentinhaber: CureVac.
• Ingmar Hoerr, Jochen Probst, Steve Pascolo: RNA-coded antibody. [https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/de/detail.jsf?docId=WO2008083949&_cid=P20-KNIRN8-85263-1 WO2008083949]. Erstveröffentlichung 17. Juli 2008, Patentinhaber: CureVac.
• Ingmar Hoerr, Steve Pascolo: Optimierte Injektionsformulierung für mRNA. Veröffentlichungstag und Patenterteilung 19 June 2019, Europäische Patentschrift Nr EP 3 153 179 B1, Patentinhaber: CureVac.

• {{Cite Q|Q33179322}}
• {{Cite Q|Q34880734|doi-access=free}}

• {{cite book | last=Karberg | first=Sascha | title=Der Mann, der das Impfen neu erfand Ingmar Hoerr, CureVac und der Kampf gegen die Pandemie | publisher=Aufbau | publication-place=Berlin | year=2021 | isbn=978-3-351-03926-4 | oclc=1256538154 | language=de}}
• {{cite book | last=Klein | first=Wolfgang | title=Die CureVac-Story Vom Risiko, die Medizin zu revolutionieren | publisher=Campus | publication-place=Frankfurt | year=2021 | isbn=978-3-593-51490-1 | oclc=1241085997 | language=de}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoerr, Ingmar}}

Category:21st-century German biologists

Category:Biotechnologists

Category:Living people

Category:1968 births

Category:Vaccinologists