Germany's BioNTech is buying domestic rival CureVac for $1.25 billion, bringing together two pharmaceutical firms specialised in mRNA technology with the goal of advancing cancer treatments.
BioNTech, which developed the first coronavirus vaccine to be approved in the West along with US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, said the acquisition would "bring together complementary capabilities and leverage technologies".
Both biotech companies have been working for years in the area of mRNA vaccines and treatments, which provoke an immune response by delivering genetic molecules containing the code for key parts of a pathogen into human cells.
While the technology became well known in relation to some Covid-19 vaccines, it is also being used in other areas, and scientists believe it could be a game-changer against many diseases.
BioNTech said the acquisition of CureVac would help boost its work in the field of mRNA-based cancer immunotherapy -- treatment that uses the body's own immune system to fight diseases.
"This transaction is another building block in BioNTech's oncology strategy and an investment in the future of cancer medicine," said BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin.
It was aimed at "establishing new standards of care for various types of cancer in the coming years," he said.
Alexander Zehnder, CEO of CureVac, said the purchase would bring scientific expertise, technology and manufacturing know-how "in the mRNA field under one roof".
BioNTech's all-stock acquisition has been unanimously approved by the companies' management and supervisory boards, and is expected to close in 2025, subject to certain conditions including regulatory approvals.
Both companies are listed on the Nasdaq Composite Index.
They had both sought to develop Covid-19 vaccines during the pandemic, with Mainz-based BioNTech's Comirnaty jab winning approval and going on to become one of the most widely used shots against the virus around the world.
But Tuebingen-based CureVac, founded 25 years ago by mRNA pioneer Ingmar Hoerr, abandoned its efforts in late 2021 after disappointing trial results.
In 2022, CureVac sued BioNTech for patent infringement over its rival's use of the technology.
