(Reuters) - German drug developer CureVac AG, which is developing a coronavirus vaccine, said on Monday its recently appointed Chief Executive Officer Ingmar Hoerr will be taking a temporary medical leave.

The company said here the top executive's leave has not been caused by the coronavirus. Seen as BioNTech's unlisted German rival, CureVac aims to be ready by July to request the go-ahead for testing its experimental coronavirus vaccine on humans.

German government sources told Reuters on Sunday they were trying to stop Washington from persuading CureVac to move its research to the United States.

The company said deputy CEO Franz-Werner Haas will step in Hoerr’s role till he returns. Hoerr is the founder of CureVac and had assumed the CEO role less than a week ago.