Bristol Myers Squibb signs US$11bn deal to manufacture BioNTech lung cancer treatment

GERMAN drug developer BioNTech has signed an agreement with US pharmaceutical giant Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) to manufacture a new cancer treatment, in a deal worth up to US$11bn.

The new drug, called BNT327, is currently in global phase 3 clinical trials – the final stage before a drug can be licensed.

BioNTech is currently evaluating BNT327’s use as a standard treatment for lung cancer. The company says more than 1,000 patients have been treated in clinical trials so far.

The two companies also plan to explore whether the new drug can treat other solid tumour types. By the end of this year, they aim to have started global phase 3 clinical trials to evaluate the drug’s use in treating triple-negative breast cancer.

BNT327 is an immunotherapy that stops cancer from spreading by cutting off blood and oxygen supply to tumour cells. The drug is a “next-generation bispecific antibody”, meaning it combines two oncology mechanisms into a single molecule. The body’s immune system produces natural antibodies to attack cells, but these can only bind to a single cell at one time.

BioNTech specialises in developing immunotherapies, including messenger RNA (mRNA) drugs and antibody-drug conjugates, a relatively new class of drugs for targeted cancer treatment. The company became globally known for the mRNA Covid-19 vaccine it developed with Pfizer, which in late 2020 became the world’s first authorised Covid vaccine following UK government approval.

Uğur Şahin, CEO of BioNTech, said: “Our collaboration with BMS, a pioneering leader in immuno-oncology, aims to accelerate and broadly expand BNT327’s development to fully realise its potential.

“Our focus remains on advancing high-impact, pan-tumour programmes and combination strategies in oncology, with BNT327 complementing our antibody-drug conjugate programmes and mRNA-based immunotherapies.

“We are dedicated to delivering truly transformative options for patients in need.”

The deal will see BMS pay up to US$11bn to BioNTech, including an initial US$1.5bn upfront, followed by regular payments totalling US$2bn until 2028, and up to a further US$7.6bn in additional “milestone” payments. The two companies will split development and manufacturing costs, profits and losses on a 50-50 basis.

Christopher Boerner, CEO of BMS, said: “We are impressed by the innovation that BioNTech has achieved to date, and we look forward to partnering to accelerate existing clinical trials and time to market, while expanding the number of potential indications.”