FRANKFURT, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Germany's BioNTech

on Monday lifted its 2025 revenue guidance after

receiving initial payments from its new partner Bristol Myers

Squibb ( BMY ) in a cancer immunotherapy alliance that seeks to

challenge Merck's ( MRK ) best-selling Keytruda.

BioNTech, Pfizer's ( PFE ) partner on COVID-19 vaccines,

said it was projecting full-year revenue of 2.6 billion euros

($3.03 billion) to 2.8 billion euros, up from a previous

guidance range of 1.7 billion to 2.2 billion euros.

Earlier this year, Bristol agreed to pay up to $11.1 billion

in the partnership deal over time, depending on achievements.

BioNTech said on Monday that the partners extended their

clinical trial programme for the cancer drug in question,

pumitamig, during the third quarter and would add more trials by

next year.

The German biotech firm said third-quarter revenue gained

22% to 1.52 billion euros.

BioNTech is pivoting its focus to cancer drugs, which are

expected to drive future growth of the company, as revenue from

its COVID-19 vaccine steadily decline from their pandemic era

highs.

($1 = 0.8575 euros)