BioNTech SE and InstaDeep Ltd. have entered partnership under which BioNTech will acquire InstaDeep to build AI-driven drug discovery capabilities and development of next-generation immunotherapies and vaccines to address diseases with high unmet medical need. 

The acquisition will allow BioNTech to expand its network of global collaborators and expand its footprint in key talent hubs across the U.S., Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

The transaction includes a total upfront consideration of approximately £362 million in cash and BioNTech shares to acquire 100% of the remaining InstaDeep shares, excluding the shares already owned by BioNTech. The transaction will combine two organizations with a common culture and is expected to add approximately 240 highly skilled professionals to BioNTech’s workforce, including teams in AI, ML, bioengineering, data science, and software development. 

BioNTech will embed validated and novel AI- and ML-based models into its discovery platforms and integrate them with an automated laboratory environment through InstaDeep's DeepChainTM platform. This enables the high-throughput design and testing of novel drug candidates at scale. BioNTech will also develop new AI and ML technology solutions that will be applied across key strategic and operational functions.

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Upon closing, InstaDeep will operate as a UK-based global subsidiary of BioNTech.