Trastuzumab-QYYP(Pfizer Inc.)

One of the most closely-watched vacancies in biopharma has now been filled , with Sobi CEO Guido Oelkers, Ph.D., moving across to take up the top job at mRNA pioneer BioNTech. It’s been a six-month wait to find out who would head up the German company, after CEO Uğur Şahin, M.D., and his co-founder, chief medical officer and wife Özlem Türeci, M.D., announced in March that they will be heading off to launch a new company focused on “next-generation mRNA innovations.” After its founding in 2008, BioNTech rose to prominence and financial success thanks to its partnership with Pfizer for the blockbuster COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty. More recently, BioNTech’s strategy to become a “fully integrated immunotherapy powerhouse” has seen the company gear up to push for the approval of an HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugate called trastuzumab pamirtecan, which is licensed from China’s DualityBio. BioNTech has already been touting 2026 as a “catalyst-rich year” that will see further phase 3 oncology readouts from the likes of trastuzumab pamirtecan and an OncoC4-partnered anti-CTLA-4 antibody called gotistobart. The Mainz, Germany-based company recently touted “ encouraging anti-tumor activity ” from its Bristol Myers Squibb-partnered PD-L1xVEGF-A bispecific immunomodulator pumitamig. This is the situation that Oelkers will be inheriting. As CEO of Swedish pharma Sobi since 2017, Oelkers has overseen the licensing of the respiratory syncytial virus therapy Synagis from AstraZeneca , the $915 million acquisition of Dova Pharmaceuticals for the thrombocytopenia medicine Doptelet and the launch of another bleeding disorder drug, Altuviiio , in partnership with Sanofi. In this morning’s release, BioNTech praised Oelkers for his “strong track record in transforming and scaling global organizations, driving sustainable growth through disciplined execution, focused capital allocation, and operational excellence.” “I have come to know Guido Oelkers as a leader who combines a deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry and strong strategic acumen with genuine respect for the culture and people of our organization,” outgoing BioNTech CEO Sahin said in the release. “With Guido Oelkers taking over, I feel confident that BioNTech is in a strong position to realize its vision.” Oelkers, who is due to take up his new post by February 1, 2027 “at the latest,” said BioNTech “stands out through its scientific foundation and particularly its strong late-stage oncology pipeline.” “I am deeply honored to be leading BioNTech and prioritizing its evolution into a global biopharmaceutical company with multiple approved products by 2030, while continuing to advance its innovative pre-clinical and clinical portfolio in line with the company’s strategy,” he added. The appointment was the result of a “comprehensive selection process” led by BioNTech’s supervisory board, the company said in an August 3 release. A search for Türeci’s replacement as CMO remains ongoing.