Biotech firm BioNTech is accelerating its cancer research efforts in partnership with Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), aiming to launch more than ten new clinical trials globally in the coming months, each involving 500 to 1,000 patients. The company’s founders, Ugur Sahin and Özlem Türeci, revealed this ambitious expansion to the business magazine Capital.
The focus is on BioNTech’s novel therapeutic candidate, BNT327, a bispecific antibody therapy targeting more than ten different cancer types. This innovative approach combats tumors through a dual mechanism: one component activates the patient’s immune system, while a second prevents the tumor from developing blood vessels for nourishment.
Earlier this year, BioNTech acquired the exclusive worldwide rights to BNT327 from the Chinese company Biotheus in a deal valued at approximately one billion euros. This acquisition was followed by a landmark agreement with BMS in May, securing an eleven billion US dollar investment. This represents the largest sum ever paid for a single drug candidate and is contingent on achieving pre-defined milestones. Sahin described the deal as providing “enormous impetus” highlighting BMS as the “perfect partner” to facilitate rapid global rollout of clinical trials, encompassing development, regulatory approval and distribution.
BioNTech leadership believes this technology holds significant potential, possibly surpassing the impact of their previous success with mRNA-based therapies. They emphasize the advantage of possessing multiple product classes utilizing different biological mechanisms, suggesting a robust pipeline of promising candidates in the coming years. This diversified approach minimizes reliance on the success of any single candidate.
Markus Manns, an analyst at Union Investment, echoed this optimism, stating that bispecific antibody therapy represents one of the most promising advancements in cancer medicine. He predicts that the compound has the potential to become the world’s most successful cancer drug, currently held by Merck & Co.’s Keytruda, which generated 24 billion euros in revenue in 2024.