BioNTech Halts Cell Therapy Manufacturing at Maryland Site, Lays Off Dozens

BioNTech is winding down cell therapy manufacturing at its Gaithersburg, Maryland facility, resulting in 63 layoffs from its technical operations team1234.

The decision follows the discontinuation of BioNTech’s CLDN6-directed CAR-T asset BNT211 in testicular cancer and germ cell tumors, due to results from a phase 1 trial123.

Manufacturing at the Maryland site, which BioNTech acquired from Kite Pharma in 2021, will cease by the end of 20252.

The layoff process will begin later this summer, per a recent WARN filing with state authorities2.

BioNTech will continue to develop BNT211 for other cancer indications outside of testicular cancer12.

Sources:

1. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/fierce-biotech-layoff-tracker-2025

2. https://www.fiercepharma.com/manufacturing/biontech-wind-down-cell-therapy-manufacturing-maryland-lay-63-it-ends-development-car

3. https://firstwordpharma.com/story/5973847

4. https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2025/06/17/biontech-layoffs-gaithersburg-maryland.html