Michael Wenger, M.D.

Vice President Clinical Development at BioNTech SE

Speaker

Michael is a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist and currently the Vice President for Clinical Development at BioNTech SE, based at BioNTech’s HQ in Mainz, Germany In this role he oversees Phase 1-3 activities for about 15 clinical stage discrete molecular entities, including several molecules partnered with Regeneron, OncoC4, Duality Biologics and MediLink. More specifically, he oversees development of several mRNA off-the shelf therapeutic vaccines in oncology indications, namely in HPV positive head-and-neck cancer, NSCLC, melanoma and in prostate cancer. In addition, mRNA-encoding cytokines are being evaluated, as well as standard antibodies and several antibody-drug conjugates. Prior to BioNTech Michael was VP of Clinical Development for Hematology at Novartis, based at their HQ in Basel, Switzerland and before that Senior Group Director at Roche/Genentech in Basel Switzerland and in South San Francisco, California. In these roles Michael led several BLAs and sBLAs in hematologic indications, for antibodies, bispecifics, ADCs and small molecules, including rituximab, obinutuzumab, venetoclax, polatuzumab vedotin and others. He’s experience in all phases of clinical drug development, as well as in topics such as patient access, outcomes research, and medical affairs. Michael studied medicine at the Universities of Heidelberg and Freiburg (both in Germany), and at University of Missouri, Columbia and New York University, New York.