Pfizer partners with Biontech in US$425m deal

While the Mainz-based mRNA immunotherapy specialist will conduct all preclinical development work and a first-in-man trial, Pfizer will be responsible for the later stages of clinical testing and global commercialisation of the vaccine. BioNTech so far focused on the development of cancer vaccines and immunotherapies, but this year began to widen its therapeutics focus by partnering with Genevant Sciences to develop mRNA therapeutics for orphan diseases. The company has also an ongoing research collaboration in the field of animal vaccines with Bayer AG.

According to the contract, Pfizer will pay US$120m upfront and a R&D fee as well as up to US$305m in future milestones plus double digit royalties on sales.

With mRNA-based vaccines, Pfizer challenges the flu world market leaders GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi Pasteur and Seqirus – a joint-venture of vaccine giants bioCSL and Novartis AG – which more or less have put their development and investment focus on mostly cell-based non-egg-based production methods. BioNTech’s mRNA vaccines  like those of the company’s competitor Curevac are expected to create and produce flu vaccines faster than  traditional recombinant protein flu vaccines. Most recently, BioNTech licenced Genevant Sciences’ directly injected lipid nanoparticle technology originally developed by Tekmira (now Arbutus Biopharma Corp).