BMS will pay BioNTech USD 1.5 billion in an upfront payment and USD 2 billion total in non-contingent anniversary payments through 2028. In addition, BioNTech will be eligible to receive up to USD 7.6 billion in additional development, regulatory and commercial milestones. BioNTech and BMS will share joint development and manufacturing costs on a 50:50 basis, subject to certain exceptions. Global profits/losses will be equally shared between BioNTech and BMS.

“We believe BNT327 has the potential to become a foundational immuno-oncology backbone, moving beyond single-mechanism checkpoint inhibitors and expanding into multiple solid-tumor indications. Our collaboration with BMS, a pioneering leader in immuno-oncology, aims to accelerate and broadly expand BNT327’s development to fully realize its potential,” says Ugur Sahin, CEO and Co-Founder of BioNTech. “Our focus remains on advancing high-impact, pan-tumor programs and combination strategies in oncology, with BNT327 complementing our antibody-drug conjugate programs and mRNA-based immunotherapies. We are dedicated to delivering truly transformative options for patients in need.”

Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will jointly develop and commercialize BNT327, including the development of BNT327 as monotherapy and in combination with other products. Both companies have the right to independently develop BNT327 in further indications and combinations, including combinations of BNT327 with proprietary pipeline assets, they state.

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BNT327

BioNTech’s BNT327, a next-generation bispecific antibody candidate targeting PD-L1 and VEGF-A, is currently being evaluated in multiple ongoing trials with more than 1,000 patients treated to date, including global Phase 3 trials with registrational potential evaluating BNT327 as first-line treatment in extensive stage small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. A global Phase 3 trial evaluating the candidate in triple negative breast cancer is planned to start by the end of 2025. Preliminary data from ongoing trials underscore the potential for combining anti-PD-L1 and anti-VEGF-A – two well-established therapeutic targets – into a single molecule to deliver synergistic clinical benefits for patients across multiple tumor types.