Boehringer Ingelheim announces Alzheimer’s collaboration

Boehringer Ingelheim has announced an exclusive global collaboration and licensing agreement with Nanobodies discovery and development firm Abylnx to develop new pharmaceuticals for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Under the terms of the agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim will pay Abylnx an initial licence fee, followed by specific milestone payments upon the attainment of development and commercial landmarks, in addition to royalty payments dependent on net sales.

Nanobodies are derived from heavy-chain antibodies and combine the benefits of conventional antibodies with those of small-molecule pharmaceuticals.

Boehringer Ingelheim will take sole responsibility for the development, manufacture and marketing of any pharmaceutical products developed in the partnership.

Dr Edwin Moses, chief executive officer of Ablynx, said: “Boehringer Ingelheim has developed considerable expertise in the field of neurological diseases including Alzheimer’s disease.

“Combined with their biologic biopharmaceutical capabilities we believe they are the ideal partner to ensure that we maximise the therapeutic potential of Nanobodies.”

He added that the company felt there was a growing medical need for novel approaches for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, with Abylnx “delighted” that Boehringer Ingelheim believes the use of Nanobodies to represent such an approach.

In July 2006, before the 10th International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders in Madrid, the Boehringer Ingelheim Apopis (Abnormal proteins in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases) Awards for Young Researchers were presented.