BioNTech is shutting down cell therapy manufacturing at its first U.S. production facility in Gaithersburg, Maryland, following disappointing results from an early-stage cancer trial. The German biotech company will lay off 63 employees from the site's technical operations team starting later this summer, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) alert filed with the state.
The decision stems from BioNTech's choice to discontinue development of its CAR-T cell therapy candidate BNT211 in testicular cancer with germ cell tumors. The CLDN6-directed therapy showed insufficient efficacy in a Phase 1 clinical trial designed to identify treatment signals in this patient population.
Strategic Pipeline Realignment
BioNTech acquired the Gaithersburg facility from Gilead Sciences' Kite Pharma in 2021 for $250 million, retaining all 50 existing employees at the time. The company plans to end cell therapy manufacturing at the site by the end of 2025 and realign its capabilities to support other parts of its pipeline.
Despite halting development in testicular cancer, BioNTech will continue studying BNT211 in other cancers that express the CLDN6 protein, including ovarian, sarcoma, endometrial, and gastric cancers. This selective approach reflects the company's broader effort to prioritize its oncology portfolio.
The restructuring extends beyond the Maryland facility. Earlier this year, BioNTech declined to exercise an option to co-develop a dual-targeting CAR-T therapy with Autolus Therapeutics, citing pipeline prioritization efforts. That collaboration, initiated in 2024 with a $250 million upfront payment, had included access to Autolus' manufacturing and clinical sites in the UK for pivotal trials of BNT211 in CLDN6-positive tumors.
Broader Organizational Changes
The facility closure represents part of BioNTech's comprehensive workforce reduction strategy. The company is planning to cut between 950 and 1,350 jobs globally by 2027 while simultaneously hiring for positions focused on its future pipeline development.
These changes come amid financial challenges for BioNTech, which has reported significant losses in recent years due to declining COVID-19 vaccine demand and substantial investments in cancer therapy development. The company continues to invest heavily in oncology research, recently announcing up to £1 billion ($1.2 billion) over the next decade to expand R&D operations in the United Kingdom, including two new research centers in Cambridge and a UK headquarters in London.
Continued Oncology Focus
Despite the setbacks, BioNTech remains committed to cancer immunotherapy development. The company plans to establish new supply nodes for its antibody-drug conjugate candidate BNT323 to reduce reliance on Chinese suppliers ahead of an anticipated FDA submission later this year.
The company also recently completed the acquisition of German mRNA company CureVac for $1.25 billion in an all-stock deal, emphasizing the value of CureVac's advanced research and manufacturing capabilities rather than its existing vaccine candidates. The Cambridge research center will focus on genomics, oncology, structural biology, and regenerative medicine as part of BioNTech's long-term strategy to build on its COVID-19 vaccine success in the oncology space.
