BioNTech Acquires Biotheus to Develop Novel Antibody Therapies
Thursday, November 14, 2024
BioNTech has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Biotheus, with the aim of enhancing the discovery and development of novel antibody therapies to address unmet medical needs in oncology and inflammatory diseases.
Through this acquisition, BioNTech will gain full global rights to BNT327/PM8002, a late-stage clinical asset. This investigational bispecific antibody targets PD-L1 and VEGF-A, and clinical trials have demonstrated promising results, including in patients with PD-L1-low and -negative tumors who typically show limited response to current checkpoint inhibitor therapies.
BNT327/PM8002 has the potential to redefine standards of care across multiple oncology indications, surpassing traditional checkpoint inhibitors. This asset is part of an innovative pipeline under development, supported by an advanced antibody discovery and development platform.
To date, over 700 patients have been treated with BNT327/PM8002 in clinical trials, showing promising efficacy and tolerability across various tumor types. BioNTech plans to launch multiple registrational trials in 2024 and 2025, focusing on combinations of BNT327/PM8002 with chemotherapy for solid tumors, including small cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer.
The acquisition will also strengthen BioNTech’s presence in China, incorporating a local R&D hub for clinical trials and a state-of-the-art biologics manufacturing facility to support global production needs. Furthermore, more than 300 Biotheus employees in research, development, manufacturing, and supporting functions are expected to join BioNTech’s team.
Source: biontech.de
