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German firm Boehringer Ingelheim has licensed a pre-clinical programme from Japan's Kyowa Kirin to develop a potential first-in-class, small molecule for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Autoimmune diseases represent a substantial and growing global health challenge, affecting approximately one in ten people and imposing a significant burden on patients and healthcare systems. Despite progress in therapeutic innovation, there remains a high need for more effective and long-lasting treatment options. As a recognized leader in autoimmune disease research and development, Boehringer Ingelheim advances new approaches that target the root causes of autoimmune conditions, with the goal of delivering highly targeted new therapies.
“Our commitment to delivering life changing therapies for patients with autoimmune diseases is unwavering. We are pleased to add a potential first in class program to our growing pipeline,” said Carine Boustany, US Innovation Unit Site Head and Global Head of Immunology and Respiratory Diseases at Boehringer Ingelheim. “This agreement constitutes an important step toward delivering breakthrough treatments for patients .”
Takeyoshi Yamashita, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Kyowa Kirin, commented, “This compound, discovered through Kyowa Kirin’s deep expertise in innovative technology and disease biology, holds tremendous potential. Leveraging Boehringer Ingelheim’s renowned expertise in inflammatory diseases, we are confident that this innovation will be developed efficiently and delivered to the patients who need it most.”
Under the terms of the agreement Boehringer Ingelheim will receive exclusive worldwide rights from Kyowa Kirin to develop this small molecule program. Kyowa Kirin is eligible to receive up to € 640 million, including an upfront payment, success-based development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, in addition to royalties on possible sales.
