BioNTech to close factories and focus on cancer research

In a major strategic shift, the German biotechnology company BioNTech has announced the planned closure of three production sites in Germany and one in Singapore by 2027, affecting up to 1,860 employees.

The facilities located in Idar-Oberstein, Marburg, Singapore, and the Tübingen site linked to its former rival CureVac will gradually cease operations, as the group moves away from its COVID-19 vaccine production and redirects its focus toward oncology and cancer therapies.

According to the company, the restructuring aims to streamline manufacturing capacity and reduce operational redundancies, with expected annual savings of around €500 million by 2029. However, the decision has drawn criticism from labor unions, who warn it could weaken Germany’s pharmaceutical and biotech sector.

Once at the forefront of the global COVID-19 response alongside Pfizer, BioNTech is now entering a new phase marked by declining vaccine revenues and rising losses, while betting heavily on cancer research and mRNA-based innovations to secure its future in the medical industry.