BioNTech SE and Kite, a Gilead Company announced the closing of the acquisition of the solid tumor neoantigen T cell receptor (TCR) R&D platform and clinical manufacturing facility’s assets and leases in Gaithersburg, MD, from Kite.
The acquisition strengthens BioNTech’s cell therapy pipeline by accelerating the individualized solid tumor Neoantigen TCR cell therapy research and development program. It also expands the Company’s cell therapy capabilities and manufacturing footprint in North America, building on its acquisition of Neon Therapeutics in 2020. With three acquisitions completed in the last 14 months, BioNTech confirms its strategy of complementing organic growth through targeted acquisitions that expand its capabilities and accelerate development of its broad immunotherapy pipeline.
All Kite employees at the Gaithersburg facility were offered employment with BioNTech prior to closing. The plant will be fully integrated into BioNTech’s US-operations and the global manufacturing network.
About BioNTech
Biopharmaceutical 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 checkpoint immuno-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, Bayer Animal Health, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, Regeneron, Genevant, Fosun Pharma and Pfizer.
About Kite
Kite, a Gilead Company, is a global biopharmaceutical company based in Santa Monica, California, with commercial manufacturing operations in North America and Europe. Kite’s singular focus is cell therapy to treat and potentially cure cancer. As the cell therapy leader, Kite has more approved CAR T indications to help more patients than any other company.
About Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis and cancer. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.
