BioNTech to Close Three German Production Sites, Affecting 1,800 Jobs Amid Strategic Shift

BioNTech, the German pharmaceutical company known for its COVID-19 vaccine, announced it will close three production sites in Marburg, Idar-Oberstein, and Tübingen. The closures are scheduled for late 2027 to early 2028 and will impact approximately 1,800 employees. This significant move comes as the company faces low utilization and overcapacity at these locations, alongside a strategic pivot towards oncology-focused development.

Despite attempts to sell the facilities, BioNTech was unable to find buyers amid challenging market conditions. The company engaged both internal experts and external brokers to explore sales options, reaching out to international, national, and mid-sized firms involved in mRNA production, antibodies, plasmids, and gene therapies. However, no sales were concluded for the three sites. In contrast, BioNTech successfully sold its subsidiary JPT Peptide Technologies in Berlin, specializing in peptide research and analysis, to the Munich-based Dubag Group, with around 130 employees transitioning to the new ownership.

The Marburg site, once acquired from Novartis and used for mRNA COVID-19 vaccine production and plasmid DNA work, reflects the downsizing BioNTech faces due to falling demand for its vaccine. The Idar-Oberstein site focused on early clinical development therapeutics, while the Tübingen facility was formerly home to CureVac before BioNTech's acquisition. Notably, CureVac's founder has since accused BioNTech of breaching their collaboration agreement.

Financially, BioNTech reported a significant loss of €1.35 billion in the first half of 2026. This period also saw the departure of co-founders Ugur Sahin and Özlem Türeci, who plan to create a new company in Mainz focused on next-generation mRNA medicines, signaling a new chapter for BioNTech's leadership and innovation direction.

This restructuring underscores the changing landscape for BioNTech as it adapts to reduced COVID-19 vaccine demand and repositions itself in the biotech sector, with considerable implications for the German pharmaceutical industry and affected employees.