German biotechnology company BioNTech, which developed the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and is working on groundbreaking therapies for cancer, was able to take its first steps in 2009 with help from the ERDF - one year after it was founded.
- 22 March 2021
'We continue to work diligently to respond to global vaccine needs with a commitment to ensure equitable vaccine access. Our robust clinical and regulatory strategy has led to recent approvals that expand access to additional age groups.'
Headquartered in the city of Mainz, in the Rhineland-Palatinate region in western Germany, BioNTech was founded as a spin-off of the renowned Johannes-Gutenberg University. Run by husband-and-wife research team Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci since 2008, the company became world-renowned because of the Covid-19 vaccine they developed in collaboration with American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.
One of the reasons why BioNTech was able to develop a viable mRNA vaccine at such short notice is because of the company’s primary focus and mission: to develop targeted treatments for individualised cancer immunotherapy.
Support from the EU
The company’s research and potential in the field of biotechnology were recognised from the outset. In 2009, the company received a EUR 2.2 million grant from the ERDF to boost its research and development activities. The investment allowed it to expand its infrastructure and grow substantially, paving the way to its current position as global leader in mRNA biotechnology research.
A second grant from the ERDF in 2009 allowed the company to take over EUFETS, a company that specialised in the development of cell-based therapies and gene- and immunotherapies. The funding helped the company keep the entire staff complement of 35 people.
As at December 2021, the facilities in Idar-Oberstein, located between the cities of Trier and Mainz, employ over 250 people and produce cell and gene therapy products such as viral vectors, cellular products and in-vitro transcribed mRNA on an industrial scale.
Paving the way to today’s success
While the mRNA technology was of fundamental importance for the first Covid-19 vaccine, its potential for BioNTech’s efforts in developing new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to treat cancer is enormous.
Today, the company employs over 2 800 employees at its offices and research facilities in Germany, Austria and the US. Its research on individualised cancer immunotherapy has led to over 20 viable product candidates, of which eight are currently in clinical trials.
Some biotech companies only focus on a couple of product candidates at the same time. By combining different active ingredients and treatment approaches, BioNTech aims to help the immune system combat cancer. This diversification could, potentially, lead to the production of cancer treatments for patients who would otherwise have no treatment options.
For their efforts in the development of the Covid-19 vaccine, BioNTech CEO Uğur Şahin and Chief Medical Officer Özlem Türeci were awarded the German Order of Merit, one of the country’s highest honours, by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, on Friday 19 March 2021.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Development of BioNTech” is EUR 2 257 558, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 350 000 through the “Rheinland-Pfalz" Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority "Strengthening research, technological development and innovation".