BioNTech Announces Establishment of Interdisciplinary mRNA Excellence Center to Conduct Research Jointly with Scientists from Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel
March 01 2023 - 8:00AM
BioNTech Announces Establishment of Interdisciplinary mRNA
Excellence Center to Conduct Research Jointly with Scientists from
Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel
JERUSALEM, Israel, March 1, 2023 – BioNTech SE (Nasdaq:
BNTX, “BioNTech”, “the Company”) announced that the Company and the
Weizmann Institute of Science (“Weizmann Institute”) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). As part of this MoU, scientists
from a variety of disciplines from BioNTech and the Weizmann
Institute will collaborate in basic and applied research with the
aim to better understand various diseases, including cancer,
infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. The joint
research will be conducted at BioNTech’s newly established mRNA
Excellence Center and in Weizmann Institute
laboratories.
The MoU supports BioNTech’s long-term strategy
to discover, research and develop innovative vaccines and therapies
for diseases with high unmet medical need. The Company’s mRNA
Excellence Center will be based within the Weizmann Science Park in
Ness Ziona, where BioNTech intends to lease office and laboratory
space. The center is expected to provide space for approximately 60
researchers to facilitate collaboration among various fields,
including life science, computer science, mathematics, physics, and
chemistry. BioNTech expects the center to start operations by the
end of 2023.
“We are pleased to establish mRNA research
laboratories on the campus of the Weizmann Institute of Science,”
said Prof. Ugur Sahin, M.D., CEO and Co-founder of BioNTech.
“Our initiative aims to foster collaborations with top researchers
to advance multidisciplinary research and accelerate the
development of innovative solutions to tackle some of the world's
most pressing health challenges.”
Prof. Ziv Reich, Vice President of the
Weizmann Institute of Science, said: “The new center will work
in close academic collaboration with the Weizmann Institute of
Science and contribute to a better understanding of the drivers and
mechanisms of disease in living cells. We welcome the opportunity
for a new collaboration that will enrich the research at the
Institute, for the benefit of humanity.”
In addition, BioNTech plans to establish and
operate an mRNA manufacturing facility based on its BioNTainer
solution in Israel, which is intended to facilitate clinical
development of investigational cancer therapies as well as Israel’s
ability to respond to potential health threats.
About BioNTechBiopharmaceutical New
Technologies is a next generation immunotherapy company pioneering
novel therapies for cancer and other serious diseases. The Company
exploits a wide array of computational discovery and therapeutic
drug platforms for the rapid development of novel
biopharmaceuticals. Its broad portfolio of oncology product
candidates includes individualized and off-the-shelf mRNA-based
therapies, innovative chimeric antigen receptor T cells, bispecific
immune checkpoint modulators, targeted cancer antibodies and small
molecules. Based on its deep expertise in mRNA vaccine development
and in-house manufacturing capabilities, BioNTech and its
collaborators are developing multiple mRNA vaccine candidates for a
range of infectious diseases alongside its diverse oncology
pipeline. BioNTech has established a broad set of relationships
with multiple global pharmaceutical collaborators, including
Genmab, Sanofi, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, Regeneron,
Genevant, Fosun Pharma, and Pfizer. For more information, please
visit www.BioNTech.com.
BioNTech Forward-Looking StatementsThis
statement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements may include, but may not be limited to,
direct or indirect statements concerning: BioNTech’s potential
collaborations with the State of Israel and its scientific
institutions and authorities, including the Weizmann Institute of
Science, in connection with the potential discovery, research and
development of innovative medicines and set-up of mRNA
manufacturing capabilities, including the potential provision of
cancer immunotherapies; BioNTech’s plans to establish and operate
an mRNA manufacturing facility based on its BioNTainer solution in
Israel, which is intended to facilitate clinical development of
investigational cancer therapies; and Israel’s ability to respond
to potential health threats. Any forward-looking statements in this
statement are based on BioNTech’s current expectations and beliefs
of future events, and are subject to a number of risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such
forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include,
but are not limited to: BioNTech’s ability to reach agreements with
potential collaboration partners in Israel; BioNTech’s ability to
produce, deliver and install mRNA container manufacturing
facilities in Israel, including the ability to meet all necessary
infrastructure, technology and regulatory requirements; potential
delays in the establishment of the BioNTainers in Israel due to
unforeseen events, including, but not limited to, global supply
chain issues; the development of quality assurance capabilities to
remotely support manufacturing sites in Israel; the scale-up of
local know-how and training in Israel; the development of
sustainable RNA vaccine capacities, production and supply solutions
in Israel and the nature, timing, and feasibility of these
solutions; BioNTech’s ability to develop, test and commercialize
products and product candidates, including the timing to initiate
clinical trials; BioNTech’s anticipated market opportunity and size
for its products and product candidates; and the rate and degree of
market acceptance of BioNTech’s products and, if approved,
investigational medicines; and other potential difficulties.
For a discussion of these and other risks and
uncertainties, see BioNTech’s Quarterly Report on Form 6-K for the
quarter ended September 30, 2022, filed with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on November 7, 2022, which is
available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. All information in
this press release is as of the date of the release, and BioNTech
undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by
law.
CONTACTS
Media RelationsJasmina Alatovic+49 (0)6131 9084
1513Media@biontech.de
Investor RelationsMichael Horowicz +1 (617) 955
7420Investors@biontech.de
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