Monday, September 28, 2026

BioNTech to close three German sites after failed buyer search

BioNTech plans to shut down its sites in Marburg, Tübingen and Idar-Oberstein after failing to find buyers for the three German operations. About 1,800 employees are affected.

The company has set out expected closure windows. Operations in Tübingen are due to end in late 2027, followed by Marburg in early 2028 and Idar-Oberstein in late 2028. BioNTech said it had agreed additional severance conditions with the group works council, but did not provide details.

Capacity pressure and strategic shift

BioNTech had already announced in spring that it did not intend to continue operating the three locations. The company cited low utilisation, excess capacity, cost savings and a stronger focus on cancer medicine.

The Marburg facility has been used for mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine production and for plasmid DNA, an important starting material for mRNA vaccines and cell therapies. Idar-Oberstein produces therapeutics for early clinical development phases. Tübingen is the base of CureVac, whose acquisition by BioNTech was announced in summer 2025.

According to BioNTech, internal specialists and professional brokers explored potential sales. The company approached international, national and mid-sized companies as well as investors active in areas such as mRNA manufacturing, antibodies, plasmids, cell therapy and gene therapy. No transaction was completed for Marburg, Tübingen or Idar-Oberstein.

Berlin subsidiary transferred to Dubag

The process had a different outcome for JPT Peptide Technologies in Berlin. The company, which provides services for peptide research, development and analysis, was taken over by Munich-based Dubag Group. Around 130 positions were transferred with the business.

From Covid vaccine revenues to oncology investment

BioNTech generated major revenues during the pandemic with its Covid-19 vaccine developed with Pfizer. Demand for the vaccine has declined for several years, and the company does not yet have another approved product.

The group, which employs around 7,200 people worldwide, is undergoing a broad transformation. Its development focus is increasingly on oncology, mRNA-based immunotherapies and antibody-drug conjugates. These programmes require significant investment. In the first six months of the year, BioNTech reported a net loss of 1.35 billion euros, compared with 802.4 million euros in the prior-year period.

A leadership change is also approaching. Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci plan to leave BioNTech by the end of the year at the latest and focus on a new company developing the next generation of mRNA-based medicines. The new venture is to be called Arife and will also be headquartered in Mainz. Guido Oelkers is set to succeed Şahin as chief executive no later than 1 February 2027.