BioNTech Founders to Exit in 2026, Launch New mRNA Biotechnology Venture

Ugur Sahin and Özlem Türeci, the co-founders of BioNTech, will leave the company by the end of 2026 to establish a new biotechnology firm focused on developing next-generation mRNA-based medicines. This strategic move marks a significant shift in BioNTech's leadership and innovation direction, with Sahin and Türeci transferring selected rights and technologies to their new venture, while retaining a 15% stake in BioNTech.

BioNTech, recognized globally for its COVID-19 vaccine developed alongside Pfizer, plans to continue its focus on oncology with an aim to commercialize 15 ongoing Phase-3 studies by the end of 2026. Despite the departure of its founders, the company remains financially robust, holding substantial cash reserves to advance its cancer therapies pipeline. The firm also recently acquired competitor Curevac for about $1.25 billion, strengthening its mRNA expertise.

The transition to the new company, expected to be finalized by mid-2026, will involve BioNTech holding a minority stake in the new venture and receiving royalties. Sahin emphasized their goal to "pioneer new paths once again," highlighting their long-term vision to leverage mRNA platform technologies with disruptive potential in medicine.

The BioNTech supervisory board is actively seeking successors to ensure a smooth leadership transition. While BioNTech’s current COVID-19 vaccine business and clinical programs remain unaffected, the shift underscores a strategic realignment as the company focuses more on late-stage clinical development involving immunomodulators, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and mRNA therapies. This division aims to maximize BioNTech's near-term commercialization prospects while enabling the new entity to pursue disruptive therapeutic innovations.

Industry observers note that BioNTech’s future growth heavily depends on the clinical successes of its oncology pipeline amid leadership changes, with investors closely monitoring upcoming regulatory approvals and breakthrough data. The announcement initially triggered a negative reaction in BioNTech’s stock market performance, reflecting some investor uncertainty around these significant shifts in leadership and strategic focus.