BioNTech aims to have multiple commercialised cancer drugs by 2030 as it shifts focus away from Covid-19 vaccines and toward oncology.
Speaking at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, held January 12–15, CEO Ugur Sahin said: “Our ambition is to build a fully integrated multiproduct oncology company, and 2026 is just the beginning of our road map.”
The company rose to prominence after co-developing the first mRNA Covid-19 vaccine with Pfizer. With demand for Covid-19 products waning, BioNTech’s share price is trading about 77% below its August 2021 peak.
BioNTech will continue to produce adaptive Covid-19 vaccines for future infectious seasons but is making a major strategic pivot to oncology to diversify revenue. The company currently has more than 25 Phase II and III programmes across oncology and 10 novel-combination trials. Its cancer pipeline includes next-generation immunomodulators, antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), and mRNA cancer immunotherapies.
BioNTech has high hopes for several candidates. Pumitamig, a PD-L1/VEGF bispecific antibody, is positioned as a potential next-generation immune-oncology standard across multiple indications; Bristol Myers Squibb agreed in June 2025 to a deal worth up to $11 billion to co-develop the drug. Gotistobart, an anti-CTLA-4 treatment for lung cancer, has shown success in a Phase III trial.
Some ADC candidates are being developed with a pan-tumour strategy while other drugs target specific indications. Individualised mRNA vaccines are under evaluation in pancreatic, bladder, and colorectal cancers. BioNTech strengthened its mRNA capabilities with a $1.25 billion acquisition of CureVac in June 2025.
Citi analysts said they continue to favour the cadence and quality of late-stage data from BioNTech’s pipeline and view the company as a differentiated play among traditional vaccine names as it transforms into a commercial oncology company.
Pumitamig is one of five late-stage readouts expected in 2026 as BioNTech enters a data-heavy period from 2026 to 2029. Sahin said the company is “entering a phase of sustained clinical data output from 2026 to 2029” and is building launch readiness, developing indication-specific expertise, and advancing market access capabilities for anticipated first launches.
In November, BioNTech raised its 2025 revenue guidance and finished the year with more than $17 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and securities. Chief financial officer Ramón Zapata-Gomez said the company will prioritise investing in its internal pipeline while leaving open the option of additional acquisitions and collaborations.
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