BioNTech signs Eli Lilly up for battle against cancer

May 20, 2015 •

Eli Lilly pays $30m signing fee to tap into Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz immunotherapy spin-out BioNTech.

Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly is paying $30m to edge into immunotherapy development through Germany-based life sciences firm BioNTech.

The Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz spin-out, established in 2008, is commercialising cancer treatment similar to the work conducted by peers Juno Therapeutics, Adaptimmune, and Kite Pharma which genetically alters the body’s T-cells so that they can identify and attack cancerous tumours.

The $30m signing fee will be joined by another $30m in a later equity investment in a BioNTech subsidiary. In addition,…

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