BioNTech names Guido Oelkers CEO, trims 2026 revenue guidance in Q2 update

BioNTech SE announced on August 3, 2026 that its Supervisory Board had appointed Guido Oelkers, Ph.D. to the Management Board as Chief Executive Officer, who will take office by February 1, 2027, at the latest¹. He succeeds Prof. Ugur Sahin, M.D., and joins from Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB, where he has served as CEO since 2017.¹

The next day, BioNTech reported second quarter 2026 financial results. Revenues were €105.6 million for the second quarter of 2026, compared to €260.8 million in the prior-year period.² The company said the decrease was primarily driven by lower demand from its COVID-19 vaccines.² Net loss was €820.8 million for the quarter, compared to a net loss of €386.6 million a year earlier.²

BioNTech revised its full-year 2026 revenue guidance range downward to €1.6–1.9 billion from a prior range of €2,000–2,300 million², citing softer than anticipated global COVID-19 vaccine demand and the timing of milestone-related revenues from an out-licensed R&D program that are no longer expected in 2026². The company also lowered its adjusted R&D expense guidance, now expecting adjusted R&D expenses in the range of €2.0 billion to €2.3 billion², down from a prior range of €2,200–2,500 million.

On the pipeline side, the company cited 14 ongoing pivotal clinical trials and initiation of six pivotal trials in 2026, five for pumitamig and one for the B7-H3-targeting ADC candidate elfetabart drozuntecan.² Cash, cash equivalents and security investments stood at €16,634.2 million as of June 30, 2026.² BioNTech said it still expects the majority of 2026 revenues in the second half of the year, including recognition of the €613 million Bristol Myers Squibb collaboration revenue in the third quarter.²