BioNTech SE announced that the Supervisory Board has appointed Annemarie Hanekamp to the Management Board as Chief Commercial Officer effective July 1, 2024. She will join BioNTech from Novartis AG (?Novartis?) and succeed Sean Marett in this role. Annemarie Hanekamp is a seasoned pharmaceutical executive experienced in developing patient-focused commercial strategies for innovative oncology products encompassing sales, marketing and market access.

In her new role, she will drive and execute the global commercialization strategy to leverage BioNTech?s full potential as a vertically integrated biopharmaceutical company. Annemarie Hanekamp will be responsible for building a global commercial team in preparation of BioNTech?s first oncology product launch planned in 2026 and with a focus on the Company?s lead product candidates in anticipation of ten potential indication approvals by 2030. Annemarie Hanekamp brings a wealth of strategic and operational expertise to BioNTech.

She has more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry, including 15 years of commercial experience in companies ranging from early-stage biotechnology companies to full-scale pharmaceutical companies. She successfully delivered significant value in a broad range of roles: At Novartis, she led the U.S. and global teams through a time of strategic opportunities and operational headwinds following an unprecedented strong launch uptake of their novel treatment for prostate cancer. She was also responsible for building a new global oncology organization following a company-wide transformation.

At Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., she held a pivotal role in evolving the company?s U.S. oncology strategy, resulting in significant and sustainable growth including an expanded market access as well as product launches. Annemarie Hanekamp is a Dutch citizen and holds degrees in biomedical sciences as well as organizational leadership.