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16 August 2018Americas

Pfizer collaborates with BioNTech to develop flu vaccines

Pfizer has entered into a multi-year collaboration with immunotherapy company BioNTech to develop messenger ribonucleic acid-based (mRNA) vaccines for influenza.

mRNA transports genetic information from DNA to the ribosome.

Under the agreement, which was announced today, August 16, Pfizer will assume sole responsibility for further clinical development and commercialisation of mRNA-based flu vaccines following Germany-based BioNTech’s completion of a first in-human clinical study.

Ugur Sahin, co-founder and CEO of BioNTech, said that the agreement is part of the company’s strategy to “rapidly build a sustainable research and development presence in infectious disease”.

BioNTech will receive $120 million upfront and could earn an additional $305 million in potential development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments.

Kathrin Jansen, senior vice president and head of Pfizer’s vaccine research and development unit, said: “Innovative vaccine approaches are urgently needed to provide improved protection against seasonal flu, and to respond rapidly and in quantity to pandemic influenza threats.”

She explained that mRNA vaccines offer the potential to manufacture higher potency flu vaccines quicker and at a lower cost than contemporary flu vaccines.

“BioNTech is one of the industry leaders in mRNA technology and we are looking forward to working closely with them to help bring cutting-edge mRNA influenza vaccines to the market to improve people’s lives,” concluded Jansen.

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More on this story

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12 October 2017   Pharmaceutical company Sanofi has announced it is investing €170 million ($202 million) to expand an influenza vaccine production facility in France.
Big Pharma
7 July 2022   Germany-based CureVac has accused BioNTech of infringing four patents related to messenger ribonucleic acid technology.

More on this story

article
12 October 2017   Pharmaceutical company Sanofi has announced it is investing €170 million ($202 million) to expand an influenza vaccine production facility in France.
Big Pharma
7 July 2022   Germany-based CureVac has accused BioNTech of infringing four patents related to messenger ribonucleic acid technology.