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Administrative timetable

Request from DSIT

4 October 2024: The SAU has accepted a request for a report from DSIT concerning the proposed subsidy to BioNTech UK Limited. This request relates to a Subsidy of Particular Interest.

The SAU will prepare a report, which will provide an evaluation of the DSITs assessment of whether the subsidy complies with the subsidy control requirements (Assessment of Compliance). The SAU will complete its report within 30 working days.

Information about the subsidy provided by DSIT

DSIT is considering a subsidy of 129 million to BioNTech UK Limited (BioNTech) under Section 8 of the Industrial Development Act. This subsidy is deemed necessary to secure an inward investment of approximately 1 billion by BioNTech to enable an ambitious expansion of its footprint in the UK, where BioNTech intends to carry out new activities in Research and Development (R&D) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) over the next ten years and create approximately 460 direct highly skilled new jobs in the UK.

BioNTechs project would focus on structural biology, regenerative medicine, oncology, and AI-driven drug discovery. In Cambridge, BioNTech plans to set up a new centre of excellence focused on drug development of new treatments for cancer and other serious diseases. In London, BioNTech intends to establish a major hub including a centre of expertise for AI led by InstaDeep Ltd a wholly owned subsidiary of BioNTech SE, which would focus on the development of next generation of learning approaches to understanding disease causes, drug targeting and predictive analytics. At a third site, which is still under discussion, BioNTech would also undertake research and development into vaccines, including for diseases with high pandemic potential.

Supporting BioNTechs proposed project, through this subsidy, would address market failures that disincentivise R&D investment and contribute to the delivery of three core Government objectives set out in the Governments Life Sciences Plan: to boost R&D in the UK Life Sciences sector, strengthen UK health resilience and grow the UK economy.

The proposed subsidy would be governed by a Grant Funding Agreement which would set out clearly the funded activities and eligible expenditure, the achievement of which would be closely monitored during delivery.

Information for third parties

If you wish to comment on matters relevant to the SAUs evaluation of the Assessment of Compliance concerning the proposed subsidy, please send your comments on the date stipulated in the timetable above. For guidance on representations relevant to the Assessment of Compliance, see the section on reporting period and transparency in the Operation of the subsidy control functions of the Subsidy Advice Unit.

Please send your submissions to us at sau-biontech2024@cma.gov.uk copying the public authority: olspartnerships@dsit.gov.uk

Please also provide a contact address and explain in what capacity you are making the submission (for example, as an individual or a representative of a business or organisation).

Notes to third parties wishing to make a submission

The SAU will only take your submission into account if it can be shared with DSIT. The SAU will send a copy of your submission to DSIT together with its report. This is to allow the public authority to take account of the submission in its decision as to whether to modify the subsidy or its assessment. We therefore ask that you provide express consent for your full and unredacted submission to be shared. We also encourage you to share your submission directly with DSIT using the email address provided above.

The SAU may use the information you provide in its published report. Therefore, you should indicate in your submission whether any specified parts of it are commercially confidential. If the SAU wishes to refer in its published report to material identified as confidential, it will contact you in advance. For further details on confidentiality of third party submissions, see identifying confidential information in the Operation of the subsidy control functions of the Subsidy Advice Unit.

Contacts

• SAU project team: sau-biontech2024@cma.gov.uk

• CMA press team: 020 3738 6460 or press@cma.gov.uk