BioNTech and Genmab announce cancer immunotherapy partnership

BioNTech AG and Genmab have signed an agreement to jointly research, develop and commercialise multiple bispecific antibodies for cancer immunotherapy.

The joint approach will use proprietary technologies to develop immunomodulatory antibodies, which activate the immune system against cancer.

The aim of the collaboration is to generate and select one or more bispecific antibody product candidates for clinical development and commercialisation by the two parties.

Under the terms of the agreement, BioNTech will provide propriety immunomodulatory antibodies and onco-immunotherapy expertise to be combined with Genmab’s DuoBody technology platform for the generation of bispecific antibodies.

Genmab will also pay an upfront fee of USD 10 million to BioNTech and if certain BioNTech assets are nominated for further development, Genmab will pay additional near-term sums of up to USD 5 million.

Ugur Sahin, CEO of BioNTech, said: “The collaboration with Genmab provides BioNTech with a great opportunity to jointly generate novel bispecific antibodies with unique immunomodulatory properties potentially suitable for the treatment of many cancers.”

“This is an important step forward in BioNTech’s strategy of developing and commercialising disruptive immunotherapies with partners such as Genmab interested in true innovation.”