Fully integrated next-generation immunotherapy company BioNTech SE (Nasdaq:BNTX) and Autolus Therapeutics plc (Nasdaq:AUTL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation programmed T cell therapies, announced on Thursday a strategic collaboration to advance their autologous CAR-T programs toward commercialization, pending regulatory approvals.

The collaboration includes a license and option agreement, as well as a securities purchase agreement. As part of the collaboration, BioNTech will invest USD200m in Autolus' American Depositary Shares and gain the right to appoint a director to Autolus' board. BioNTech will make a cash payment of USD50m to Autolus under the license and option agreement, which grants BioNTech various rights, including eligibility for royalties on obe-cel net sales. Additionally, BioNTech will have the option to access Autolus' manufacturing capacities and commercial supply infrastructure to accelerate the development of BNT211 in additional CLDN6+ tumor types.

Autolus will lead the development and commercialization of AUTO1/22 and AUTO6NG, with BioNTech having the option to support certain activities and co-commercialize both candidates in specific territories. Autolus also granted BioNTech an exclusive license to develop and commercialize therapeutics incorporating certain proprietary binders, with options to license binders and cell programming technology for use in BioNTech's in vivo cell therapy development programs and investigational antibody-drug conjugates.