BioNTech has acquired Chinese cancer drugmaker Biotheus in a near $1bn deal, as the Covid-19 vaccine maker taps into the country’s health sciences expertise to develop promising immunotherapy drugs. The deal gives the German biotech control of a drug class that has shown potential to outperform Merck’s blockbuster cancer treatment Keytruda,

BioNTech SE (BNTX) announced Tuesday that it has signed an agreement to acquire Biotheus, a clinical-stage biotechnology company

Acquisition to support the global execution of BioNTech’s oncology strategy and provide full global rights to BNT327/PM8002, an investigational PD-L1 x VEGF-A bispecific antibody, with potential to replace current checkpoint inhibitor standard of care treatments for solid tumorsWith the acquisition of Biotheus,

The tie-up will also expand BioNTech's footprint in China, giving it a local research and development hub for clinical trials, as well as a new biologics manufacturing facility and more than 300 Biotheus employees,