German biotech firm denies Trump offer

A GERMAN biotech firm on Monday flatly denied newspaper reports that US president Donald Trump had offered to pay for exclusive rights to a coronavirus vaccine.

Citing sources close to the German government, Die Welt newspaper had reported that Trump had offered “a billion dollars” to secure research into a vaccine by CureVac “only for the United States”.

The report sparked a furious response in Berlin -- and a swift denial from the company.