Elon Musk Announces Partnership with CureVac to Make 'RNA Micro-Factories' for COVID-19 Shot

German vaccine maker CureVac has lost some shine in the race for a COVID-19 shot after other mRNA-based hopefuls have captured regulators' attention. Even so, CureVac has reportedly snared a big partner to help build its game-changing RNA "printers" that could turn global interest back in its favor.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted Thursday that the electric carmaker had signed on with CureVac to make portable molecular RNA printers—what Musk called "RNA microfactories"—to help produce doses of the German vaccine maker's COVID-19 shot candidate.

Musk said his company was working on the printers as a "side project" and could take on additional partners in the future.