Singapore: Boehringer Ingelheim and Circuit Therapeutics have formed a three-year collaboration to focus on investigating metabolic disorders with the aim of developing novel medicines to improve the treatment of obesity and associated diseases.

Boehringer Ingelheim has a profile in cardiometabolic disease research and development and has strategic goals in diabetes and metabolism. The new collaboration is intended to broaden Boehringer Ingelheim's pipeline in this area. Eating disorders are among the major contributing factors to the development of overweight and obesity which are major risk factors for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other health problems.

Circuit's optogenetics technology will be used to identify targets in central nervous circuits relevant for obesity, and central and peripheral circuits relevant for coordinating food intake. These insights will provide both companies with a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in obesity. It will also enable the prioritization of novel targets with a potential for therapeutic intervention superior to current standard of care in obesity.

Dr Michel Pairet, senior corporate vice president of research and non-clinical development, Boehringer Ingelheim said, "Boehringer Ingelheim is excited about the potential of the optogenetics technology platform developed by Circuit and wants to carry on the success already achieved in the area of neurology into the area of metabolism."

"This new technology may enable us to unravel the neurological circuits responsible for metabolic disorders down to individual neurons which could lead to the identification of new targets and subsequently new treatments in line with our corporate vision of improving patients' lives," he added.

"We are excited to extend our partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim and utilize Circuit's technological capabilities to advance drug discovery in yet another therapeutic area. The success of our first collaboration is founded in Boehringer Ingelheim's unique partnering approach and its outstanding internal drug discovery capabilities. Together we aspire to establish a foundation for the development of transformational drugs to impact patients' lives," said Mr Fred Moll, chairman, Circuit Therapeutics.