The international biotechnology company, which focuses on the clinical development of patient-specific immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases, will use the funds for research and development, market access and the expansion of manufacturing capabilities for its mRNA-based product candidates. From an early stage, the Mainz-based company attached great importance to its own manufacturing and production capacities in order to guarantee high quality and rapid production of the drug candidates.

Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for Economic Affairs, said: "The Investment Plan for Europe has a strong track record in supporting innovative biotech companies researching new therapies for serious diseases. The EIB’s €50 million in financing will allow BioNTech to take on more highly-specialized staff and push forward the research and development of treatments that could prove to be life-saving".

As a former winner of the GO-Bio competition, BioNTech has become one of the largest biotechnology companies in Germany in recent years.