BioNTech Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Ugur Sahin and Co-Founder Özlem Türeci plan to transition out of their current roles by the end of 2026 to lead a new biotechnology company focused on next-generation mRNA technologies. BioNTech said the new venture will operate independently, with its own resources, operations, and funding options, while the company’s supervisory board has begun a search for successors as part of the leadership transition.
Sahin said the move comes after nearly two decades building BioNTech into a global biopharmaceutical company and as the business moves closer to becoming a multi-product company. “For us, this is the right time to prepare to hand over the baton,” he said, adding that he and Türeci are “ready to become pioneers once again.” BioNTech said it plans to contribute certain mRNA technologies and related rights to the new company in exchange for a minority stake.
The shift leaves BioNTech focused on its late-stage pipeline, which the company said remains unchanged and is expected to include 15 ongoing Phase 3 oncology trials by year-end. The two organizations are expected to pursue separate priorities, while leaving room for future collaboration on combination therapies and other complementary treatment strategies.