Our Collaborators
Joining forces to improve health worldwide
Our work at BioNTech is driven by data and a clear vision: To translate science into first-in-class and best-in-class medicines for patients. We endeavor to usher in a new era of immunotherapy to address cancer, infectious diseases, rare diseases as well as a growing list of other serious conditions. In our journey to deliver therapies for a healthier tomorrow, we have successfully established a network of world-class corporate and scientific partnerships.
BD Contact
If your team is interested in collaborating with us, please contact us to learn about partnering and collaboration opportunities.
Our Collaborators
Alongside our industry-leading partners, we work on bringing novel therapies to the patients who need them most.
Partnered Programs
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
In September 2019, we entered into a partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop HIV and tuberculosis programs based on our proprietary mRNA vaccine technology. The investment was the largest equity investment made by the Foundation’s Strategic Investment Fund to date. The collaboration comprises identification and pre-clinical development of vaccines and immunotherapies for these infectious diseases and strives to provide affordable access to world-class medicines in developing countries. The collaboration may also be extended to other infectious disease indications.
Crescendo Biologics
In January 2022, we entered into a multi-target discovery collaboration with Crescendo Biologics to develop novel immunotherapies for the treatment of patients with cancer and other diseases. Utilizing Crescendo’s proprietary Humabody® VH platform, we aim to develop precision immunotherapies, including mRNA-based antibodies and engineered cell therapies against select targets. Their specific properties and modular structure makes Humabodies ideally suited for the development of multi-target immunotherapies.
Click here for more information on our antibody and cell therapy platforms.
Fosun Pharma
On 16 March 2020, BioNTech and Fosun Pharma announced a strategic collaboration to develop and commercialize COVID-19 vaccines based on BioNTech’s mRNA technology platform for the Greater China Market including the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan region. Thus far, the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine has been granted Emergency Use Application in Hong Kong SAR (January 2021) and Special Import Authorizations in Macau SAR (February 2021) and the Taiwan region (July 2021).
For more information on our mRNA vaccine platform, click here.
Genentech
In September 2016, we embarked on a pioneering collaboration with Genentech, a member of the Roche group, to jointly research, develop, manufacture and commercialize individualized mRNA-based vaccines targeting cancer neoantigens specific to individual patients: individualized Neoantigen Specific Immunotherapy (iNeST). This effort includes our iNeST development candidate autogene cevumeran BNT122, which is currently being evaluated in two jointly-conducted clinical trials for advanced melanoma and advanced/metastatic solid tumors, respectively. Under the partnership, BioNTech also began a colorectal cancer Phase 2 trial in October 2021 which utilizes an individualized approach.
For more information on our mRNA-based iNeST platform, click here.
Genevant
In July 2018, we formed a strategic partnership with Genevant for the development of certain mRNA-based protein replacement therapies. The collaboration also includes certain exclusive licenses to Genevant’s lipid nanoparticle (LNP) drug delivery technology for mRNA-based products directed to specified oncology targets.
For more information on our protein replacement platform for rare diseases, click here.
Genmab
In May 2015, we entered into a license and collaboration agreement with Genmab to jointly research, develop and commercialize novel bispecific cancer antibodies with superior in vivo efficacy, fusing our proprietary immunomodulatory antibodies and Genmab’s DuoBody® technology platform. The collaboration was expanded in January 2016 to include additional targets and technologies.
Our first product candidate, BNT311/GEN 1046, entered clinical testing in solid tumors in June 2019 and is currently being evaluated in two additional clinical trials for the treatment of advanced solid tumors and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our second jointly developed candidate, BNT312/GEN1042, entered clinical evaluation for the treatment of metastatic or locally advanced solid tumors in September 2019.
For more information on our next-generation checkpoint immunomodulators platform, click here.
InstaDeep
In November 2020, we announced a multi-year strategic collaboration with InstaDeep applying the latest advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technology to develop novel immunotherapies for a range of cancers and infectious diseases. As partners, we have formed a a joint AI Innovation Lab in London, UK and in Mainz, Germany. Together we have been able to establish a SARS-CoV-2 Early Warning System to calculate immune escape and fitness metrics for risk monitoring of variant lineages in nearly real-time. We published the corresponding data in January 2022.
For more information on our EWS program, click here.
Medigene
In February 2022, we entered into a 3-year, multi-target research collaboration with Medigene to develop T cell receptor (TCR) based immunotherapies against cancer. Medigene’s automated, high-throughput TCR discovery platform will be leveraged to discover and develop innovative TCR immunotherapies against solid tumor targets selected by BioNTech. The agreement includes the acquisition of Medigene’s next generation preclinical PRAME TCR program and licenses to their PD1-41BB switch receptor and precision pairing technologies.
For more information on our TCR platform, click here.
Pfizer
Together with our partner Pfizer, we developed the first FDA approved mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine in history, in an unprecedented development timeline. The renowned success of our COVID-19 collaboration, initiated in March 2020, was built on the strength of our existing partnership for the development of a mRNA-based influenza vaccine (BNT161) announced in August 2018. To expand the infectious disease partnership, we signed a development and commercialization collaboration with Pfizer to develop the first mRNA-based vaccine for the prevention of shingles (herpes zoster virus, or HZV).
For more information on our mRNA vaccine platform, click here.
Regeneron
In July 2020, we began a strategic collaboration with Regeneron to jointly conduct a Phase 2 clinical trial combining our proprietary mRNA-based FixVac vaccine candidate, BNT111, and Libtayo® (cemiplimab), an anti-PD-1 therapy for the treatment of advanced melanoma jointly developed by Regeneron and Sanofi. The Phase 2 trial was initiated in June 2021 and BNT111 received Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA and FDA Fast Track Designation later that same year.
In March 2022, we announced the expansion of our strategic collaboration with Regeneron. Under the agreement, the combination of our FixVac product candidate BNT116 and Libtayo is expected to be advanced into clinical development for the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The first-in-human clinical trial is intended to evaluate the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of BNT116 alone and in combination with Libtayo.
For more information on our mRNA-based FixVac platform, click here.
Ryvu Therapeutics
In November 2022, we entered into a multi-target research collaboration with Ryvu Therapeutics for several small molecule immunotherapy programs as well as an exclusive license agreement for Ryvu’s STING agonist portfolio as standalone small molecules. The collaboration consists of two parts: BioNTech has a global, exclusive license to develop and commercialize Ryvu’s STING agonist portfolio as standalone small molecules, including as monotherapy and in therapeutic combinations. In addition, BioNTech and Ryvu jointly undertake drug discovery and research projects to develop multiple small molecule programs directed at exclusive targets selected by BioNTech, primarily focused on immune modulation within oncology, with potential applications in other disease areas.
For more information on our small molecule immunomodulators, click here.
Sanofi
In November 2015, we announced a licensing, co-development and co-commercialization agreement with Sanofi for intratumorally administered mRNA-based therapeutics for the treatment of solid tumors. In March 2018, Sanofi selected the first product candidate, BNT131/SAR441000, which encodes several immunomodulators cytokines, for further development and commercialization. We have exercised our option for co-development and co-commercialization of this candidate, which entered the clinic in January 2019.
For more information on our mRNA-based intratumoral immunotherapy platform, click here.
Siemens
In June 2015, we initiated a strategic partnership with Siemens to construct a fully automated, paperless and digitalized commercial cGMP-production site for individualized vaccines. The partnership was expanded in response to the COVID-19 vaccine program as Siemens supported the rapid upscaling of production capacities in our Marburg facility, which is now a model for new manufacturing sites around the world.
For more information on our comprehensive manufacturing capabilities, click here.
Scientific Collaborations
BioNTech collaborates with a large number of universities and medical centers in Europe and the U.S. to discover and develop new immunotherapies.
Ci3
CI3 is a scientific, clinical and regulatory network of over 500 scientists committed to advancing “new to the world” immunotherapies.
DZIF
The DZIF (German Center for Infection Research) aims to bridge the gaps between the discovery of new treatment approaches, preclinical development and clinical testing.
TRON
TRON is a biopharmaceutical research organization that pursues the development of new diagnostics and drugs to treat cancer and other severe diseases. TRON was founded to facilitate clinical translation of innovative science by interfacing between public and private stakeholders and bridging the gap between research insight and mature product development.
University of Pennsylvania
In October 2018, we entered into a research collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania that provides us with the exclusivity to develop and commercialize mRNA immunotherapies for the treatment of up to 10 infectious disease indications.
