BioNTech to shutter three sites in Germany as no buyers emerge

(Removes erroneous reference to Singapore in first paragraph and ​headline)

FRANKFURT, Sept 28 - German COVID‑19 vaccine maker BioNTech said on Monday that ‌it would close German sites that it has failed to ⁠sell as it pivots ​away from pandemic-era ⁠manufacturing.

"Despite the best efforts of all ‌those involved and ‌a wide-ranging sales process, it has unfortunately ⁠not been possible ⁠to finalise a sale," said a spokesperson.

The spokesperson added that the biotech firm had agreed with the works council on socially responsible solutions and supplementary redundancy terms ‌for affected staff.

BioNTech said in ​May it would seek buyers for its German sites in Idar-Oberstein, Marburg and Tuebingen, as well as in Singapore, or otherwise wind them down.

The restructuring, affecting up to 1,860 jobs, was part of a production transfer ​of its COVID-19 vaccine to partner Pfizer.

BioNTech, ‌the initial ‌inventor ⁠of the Western world's most commonly used immunisation shot during the pandemic, said in March that its two co-founders would leave by ‌the end of this ​year to start ‌a new venture.

($1 = ⁠0.8554 euros)

(Reporting ​by Patricia WeissWriting by Ludwig BurgerEditing by Miranda ​Murray)

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