BioNTech and Bristol-Myers Squibb Advance Pumitamig Trial in Aggressive Brain Cancer

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY), Biontech Se Sponsored Adr (BNTX) announced an update on their ongoing clinical study.

Study Overview
BioNTech and Bristol-Myers Squibb are running a Phase II trial to test BNT327, also called pumitamig, in adults with recurrent glioblastoma, a hard-to-treat brain cancer. The official title describes an open-label study that looks at safety and how well pumitamig works alone, compared with bevacizumab alone, and in combination with the chemotherapy drug temozolomide. The study matters because treatment options for recurrent glioblastoma are limited, so any signal of better tumor control or survival could support a new high-need oncology asset for both companies.

Intervention/Treatment
The trial tests three treatment approaches. Pumitamig (BNT327/BMS-986545/PM8002) is an experimental drug given by IV infusion and is the main focus of the study. Bevacizumab, an approved IV cancer drug, serves as an active comparator. Temozolomide, an oral chemotherapy already used in brain cancer, is added in one arm to see if combining it with pumitamig improves outcomes versus either drug alone.

Study Design
This is an interventional, randomized Phase II trial. Patients are randomly assigned to one of three arms: pumitamig alone, bevacizumab alone, or pumitamig plus temozolomide, in a parallel-group design. The trial is open-label, meaning doctors and patients know which treatment they receive. The main purpose is treatment-focused: to see which regimen offers better safety and effectiveness in controlling recurrent glioblastoma.

Study Timeline
The study was first submitted on December 9, 2025, marking the formal launch of the trial set-up. The status is currently “recruiting,” so key dates such as primary completion and final completion are still ahead and not yet reported. These future dates will matter for investors because they will signal when first efficacy data and full readouts might be available. The most recent update was filed on January 29, 2026, showing that the protocol and status information have been refreshed and the trial is actively maintained.

Market Implications
For BioNTech (BNTX), this trial highlights progress in broadening beyond vaccines into oncology, a key strategic goal, and positive signals could support the stock’s longer-term rerating as a diversified oncology player. For Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY), pumitamig (also known as BMS-986545) adds to an already deep cancer pipeline; success could help offset concerns around patent expiries and pricing pressure in other franchises. While results are years away, confirmation that the trial is recruiting and updated may modestly lift sentiment among long-term investors who track pipeline momentum, especially in high-need areas like brain tumors. Competitors in neuro-oncology remain limited, so even incremental benefit could be commercially meaningful, though investors should also weigh the high historical failure rate in glioblastoma trials and the binary nature of Phase II outcomes.

The study is ongoing and recently updated, with further details available on the ClinicalTrials portal.

To learn more about BMY’s potential, visit the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company drug pipeline page.