Turkish scientist agrees with Chinese pharmaceutical giant for coronavirus vaccine

BioNTech, a biotech firm co-founded by Prof. UGUR SAHIN in Mainz, Germany has entered into a collaboration agreement with China-based Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Fosun Pharma) for a new type of coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine.

The two companies will partner in China in the development, clinical testing and marketing of BioNTech’s mRNA-based “BNT162′ vaccine, BioNTech said in a statement. The statement added that the vaccine to be developed would be marketed by Fosun Pharma in China after receiving the necessary approvals from the relevant establishments, and BioNTech would retain the rights to the vaccine outside China.

The statement also said that BioNTech was in talks with its current partner Pfizer for the development of the vaccine outside China adding that clinical testing of the vaccine would begin in late April.

In a statement the Prof. Dr. SAHIN said, “We see this collaboration as an important step in our global effort to accelerate the development of our mRNA-based vaccine to prevent the covid-19 outbreak. Fosun Pharma shares our commitment to moving quickly to deal with this epidemic and offers a deep development experience and extensive network in the pharmaceutical market in China.”

Founded in 2008, BioNTech is working to develop drugs for certain diseases, including cancer. BioNTech made an initial public offering of its shares on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in the United States in October 2019, raising $ 150 million.

US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced earlier this month that it was considering BioNTech as a potential partner for developing vaccines against coronavirus.