Unlike Moderna, Biontech does not set any limits in its research strategy in terms of technologies or substance classes.
(Photo: imago images / Xinhua)
Frankfurt With the enormous financial strength of the Covid vaccine business behind it, Biontech is working hard to accelerate and broaden its other research activities. The management of the Mainz biotech company made this clear in the quarterly call on Tuesday. Most of the explanations were devoted to the various clinical projects.
“The transformation of Biontech into a leading and fully integrated immunotherapy company is proceeding at a rapid pace,” said Biontech boss Ugur Sahin.
In the first three quarters of the year, the oncology pipeline was expanded faster than ever. It now comprises 15 projects in 19 clinical studies, including four phase 2 studies in which active ingredients are tested on a large number of patients. For six of the programs, including cancer vaccines and cell therapies, Biontech plans to present positive data at the upcoming conference of the Society for Immunotherapy (SITC).
Also in the field of infectious diseases, the Mainz-based company has evidently stepped up its activities significantly in recent times and expanded them beyond Covid. Beyond Covid, ten programs are now being pursued and a whole series of clinical studies will be started in the next 18 months, announced Sahin.
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Among other things, the company is targeting new vaccines against flu, tuberculosis, HIV and malaria. The first clinical studies have already started for a flu vaccine that Biontech is developing in cooperation with Pfizer. Research expenditures are expected to rise to up to 1.05 billion euros in the current year (compared to 645 million euros in the previous year) and should continue to grow strongly in 2022. In addition, Biontech also wants to further increase investments in automation, digitization and artificial intelligence.
With the takeover of the Austrian Phagomed Biopharma GmbH for up to 150 million euros, the Mainz-based biotech company is also demonstrating that it is pushing beyond vaccines into the treatment of infectious diseases. Phagomed is working on new types of active ingredients that are able to destroy the cell wall of bacteria.
New combination therapies for cancer
Unlike the American competitor Moderna, which focuses almost entirely on mRNA-based therapies and vaccines, Biontech does not set any limits in its research strategy in terms of technologies or substance classes. In addition to mRNA, the company is also researching various other approaches, including cell therapies and classic pharmaceutical molecules.
Sahin and Head of Medicine Özlem Türeci have once again confirmed this strategy in the analyst call. A toolbox of technologies is being built and innovations are being promoted via “multiple platforms in order to strengthen the immune system and transform treatment paradigms for infectious diseases and cancer,” says the Biontech boss.
It is believed that with the broad spectrum, new, powerful combination therapies could be developed for a whole range of cancers for which no satisfactory therapies are currently available. “We research innovations at the interface between immunology and synthetic biology,” says Sahin.
For the time being, the focus will be on cancer and infectious diseases. In the medium term, however, Sahin also sees potential for Biontech in areas such as autoimmune diseases (rheumatism, psoriasis, etc.) or regenerative therapies.
As part of the strategy, the company is also relying on further acquisitions. In addition to the acquisition of Phagomed, Biontech had also strengthened itself in this way by acquiring a research unit from Gilead in the field of cell therapies for cancer.
“You can assume that there will be more such deals,” said chief strategy officer Ryan Richardson on Tuesday. According to Richardson, these will primarily aim to broaden the company’s technology base. The acquisition of clinical research programs, especially in the area of oncology and infectious diseases, is also conceivable.
More: One billion euros more income thanks to Biontech: How Mainz benefits from the vaccine boom