Boehringer Ingelheim and Eureka Therapeutics agree cancer research alliance

Boehringer Ingelheim has announced a new research agreement with Eureka Therapeutics for the discovery of novel therapeutic antibodies in oncology.

Under the terms of the agreement, Eureka will apply its proprietary human sequence antibody libraries and unique technology platform to identify antibodies recognising intracellular proteins, which represent approximately 90 percent of cancer-specific targets.

This will allow promising candidates to be selected by Boehringer Ingelheim to develop better therapies for cancer patients, in areas where current treatment options are inadequate or non-existent.

Boehringer Ingelheim will have the option to conduct further development and commercialisation of the antibodies, with Eureka receiving an undisclosed upfront technology access fee and research funding, plus other milestone-based payments.

Dr Michel Pairet, senior corporate vice-president of research and non-clinical development at Boehringer Ingelheim, said: "We are looking forward to working closely with Eureka's scientists to develop novel, effective therapies targeting cancers that have proved particularly difficult to treat in the past."

Earlier this month, the company acquired an anti-inflammatory drug candidate from Pharmaxis, which it will be developing as a treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.