MAINZ, Germany, October 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On October 13, 2023, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE, “Pfizer”), a collaboration partner of BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX, “BioNTech” or “the Company”), announced a non-cash charge for inventory write-offs and other charges related to COMIRNATY of $0.9 billion. The Company has been informed by Pfizer that the majority of the write-offs relate to raw materials, mainly formulation-related lipids, purchased during the pandemic, as well as COVID-19 vaccine doses adapted to other, non-XBB.1.5 variants produced at risk. According to Pfizer, the write-offs do not address Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine doses adapted to the XBB.1.5 variant, which has been approved and is being marketed in key geographies. 

BioNTech is evaluating the potential impact of Pfizer’s write-offs and other charges related to COMIRNATY on the Company’s financial results. BioNTech’s current expectation is that the Company is likely to recognize the effect of Pfizer’s inventory write-offs and other charges related to COMIRNATY in the third quarter of 2023 up to €0.9 billion, which represents BioNTech’s half of the gross profit-sharing agreement with Pfizer. Any such write-offs will reduce the revenues the Company would report for 2023. BioNTech expects to release its financial report for the third quarter of 2023 on November 6, 2023.

About BioNTech
Biopharmaceutical New Technologies (BioNTech) is a next generation immunotherapy company pioneering novel therapies for cancer and other serious diseases. The Company exploits a wide array of computational discovery and therapeutic drug platforms for the rapid development of novel biopharmaceuticals. Its broad portfolio of oncology product candidates includes individualized and off-the-shelf mRNA-based therapies, innovative chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, several protein-based therapeutics, including bispecific immune checkpoint modulators, targeted cancer antibodies and antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapeutics, as well as small molecules. Based on its deep expertise in mRNA vaccine development and in-house manufacturing capabilities, BioNTech and its collaborators are developing multiple mRNA vaccine candidates for a range of infectious diseases alongside its diverse oncology pipeline. BioNTech has established a broad set of relationships with multiple global pharmaceutical collaborators, including DualityBio, Fosun Pharma, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, Genevant, Genmab, OncoC4, Regeneron, Sanofi, and Pfizer.

For more information, please visit www.BioNTech.com

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, but not limited to, statements concerning: BioNTech's expected revenues and net profit related to sales of BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine, referred to as COMIRNATY where approved for use under full or conditional marketing authorization, in territories controlled by BioNTech's collaboration partners, particularly for those figures that are derived from preliminary estimates provided by BioNTech's partners; the impact and timing of the impact of the Pfizer write-offs and other COMIRNATY-related charges on BioNTech’s financial results; the rate and degree of market acceptance of BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine and, if approved, BioNTech's investigational medicines; expectations regarding anticipated changes in COVID-19 vaccine demand, including changes to the ordering environment and expected regulatory recommendations to adapt vaccines to address new variants or sublineages; and BioNTech's estimates of commercial and other revenues, cost of sales, research and development expenses, sales and marketing expenses, general and administrative expenses, capital expenditures, income taxes, net profit, cash, cash equivalents and security investments, shares outstanding and cash outflows and share consideration. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “may,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “aims,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. The forward-looking statements in this press release are neither promises nor guarantees, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond BioNTech’s control and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: BioNTech's pricing and coverage negotiations with governmental authorities, private health insurers and other third-party payors after BioNTech's initial sales to national governments; the future commercial demand and medical need for initial or booster doses of a COVID-19 vaccine; competition from other COVID-19 vaccines or related to BioNTech's other product candidates, including those with different mechanisms of action and different manufacturing and distribution constraints, on the basis of, among other things, efficacy, cost, convenience of storage and distribution, breadth of approved use, side-effect profile and durability of immune response; the timing of and BioNTech's ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval for BioNTech's product candidates; the ability of BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccines to prevent COVID-19 caused by emerging virus variants; BioNTech's and its counterparties’ ability to manage and source necessary energy resources; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on BioNTech's development programs, supply chain, collaborators and financial performance; unforeseen safety issues and potential claims that are alleged to arise from the use of BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine and other products and product candidates developed or manufactured by BioNTech; BioNTech's and its collaborators’ ability to commercialize and market BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine and, if approved, its product candidates; BioNTech's ability to manage its development and expansion; regulatory developments in the United States and other countries; BioNTech's ability to effectively scale BioNTech's production capabilities and manufacture BioNTech's products, including BioNTech's target COVID-19 vaccine production levels, and BioNTech's product candidates; risks relating to the global financial system and markets; and other factors not known to BioNTech at this time.

You should review the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” in BioNTech's Report on Form 6-K for the period ended June 30, 2023 and in subsequent filings made by BioNTech with the SEC, which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Except as required by law, BioNTech disclaims any intention or responsibility for updating or revising any forward-looking statements contained in this press release in the event of new information, future developments or otherwise. These forward-looking statements are based on BioNTech’s current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof.

Contacts

Investor Relations
Victoria Meissner, M.D.
+1 617 528 8293
Investors@biontech.de

Media Relations
Jasmina Alatovic
+49 (0)6131 9084 1513
Media@biontech.de