BioNTech Agrees To Invest $200 Million in Autolus, Starts Strategic Collaboration

By Najat Kantouar

BioNTech said that it has agreed to invest $200 million in Autolus Therapeutics, starting a strategic collaboration to advance its pipeline and expand late-stage programs aimed at advancing both companies' autologous CAR-T cell therapy programs toward commercialization.

The German biotechnology company said it will purchase Autolus's American depositary shares in a private placement, and Autolus Therapeutics will provide BioNTech the right to appoint a director to its board.

"The collaboration with Autolus enables us to expand our BNT211 program into trials for multiple cancer indications in a cost-efficient way. It grants us access to Autolus' precise cell targeting tools to further support BioNTech's development of in vivo cell therapy and antibody-drug conjugate candidates," BioNTech Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ugur Sahin said.

"We see a remarkable opportunity to leverage our core capabilities, accelerate pipeline programs, realize cost-efficiencies and expand opportunities beyond autologous cell therapies," Autolus Chief Executive Officer Christian Itin said.

Write to Najat Kantouar at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

02-08-24 0643ET