• The partners aim to develop safer, more tolerable and more effective cytokine therapies for single agent and novel combinations with Boehringer Ingelheim’s innovative cancer vaccine, oncolytic virus, T cell engager and myeloid-targeting therapies
INGELHEIM, Germany & SAN DIEGO, California-Friday 28 February 2020 [ AETOS Wire ]
(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Boehringer Ingelheim and Trutino Biosciences today announced they have
entered into a research collaboration and worldwide licensing agreement
based on Trutino’s innovative On-Demand-Cytokine (ODC) platform. Under
the terms of strategic alliance, Boehringer Ingelheim gains access to
Trutino’s ODC platform technology for the generation and development of
up to three new ODC candidates. This new collaboration combines
Boehringer Ingelheim’s long-term strategy to provide first-in-class,
breakthrough therapies for cancer patients with Trutino’s unique
knowledge and expertise in increasing the safety and efficacy of
cytokine therapies.
“Developing
a strong and innovative cytokine therapeutic program as an additional
component of our cancer immunology portfolio, demonstrates how we are
‘Taking Cancer On,’ and provides a high potential combination partner
for our existing cancer vaccine, oncolytic virus, T cell engager and
myeloid-targeting therapeutics portfolio,” said Jonathon Sedgwick,
Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Global Head, Cancer Immunology &
Immune Modulation Research at Boehringer Ingelheim. “We are very pleased
to partner with Trutino and harness the potential of their innovative
scientific platform to develop treatment breakthroughs that will
transform the lives of cancer patients.”
Trutino’s
ODC platform masks the activity of cytokines until they reach the tumor
site and become fully activated, sparing systemic exposure and
potentially leading to a higher margin of safety and greater efficacy
than conventional cytokine treatments. Trutino will generate the new ODC
molecules and carry out preclinical validation, handing over
development to Boehringer Ingelheim for late pre-clinical testing
through the rest of development.
“We
are excited to embark on this partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim, a
leader in cancer immunology, to advance cytokine therapeutic options
that address the unmet medical needs of patients worldwide,” said
Phillip Kim, Ph.D., MBA, Founder and CEO of Trutino Biosciences.
“Boehringer Ingelheim has a deep commitment to innovative scientific
approaches and is a leader in bringing novel cancer therapies to market.
This global partnership validates the broad potential of our
proprietary ODC platform to create safer and more effective cytokine
therapies that can be delivered systemically and activated locally.
Together, we can rapidly develop a new generation of cytokine therapies
to address critical unmet need in oncology.”
Trutino’s
clinical potential was initially recognized by Boehringer Ingelheim
through its grass roots programs, including the ‘BI Innovation Prize,’
where the ODC platform technology was an early-stage standout in the
2019 program held in San Diego. Launched in 2015, the grass roots
programs comprise of ‘BI Office Hours,’ ‘BI Academy’ and the ‘BI
Innovation Prize.’ Through Office Hours, Boehringer Ingelheim has
provided over 200 early-stage companies in the life-sciences community
with mentoring and direct access to relevant expertise and industry
perspective from senior leaders within the company. In partnership with
BioLabs in Boston, New York and San Diego, Boehringer Ingelheim has
awarded numerous entrepreneurs with free lab space through the ‘Golden
Ticket’ program. As a company dedicated to improving health and quality
of life, these programs give Boehringer Ingelheim the opportunity to
lend expertise to the innovation community and offer guidance around the
science to help enable ideas to deliver the next breakthroughs.
The
partnership with Trutino will strengthen Boehringer Ingelheim’s next
generation immune oncology portfolio, which combines cancer vaccines,
oncolytic viruses, T Cell engagers and myeloid targeting platforms with
the aim of making “cold” tumors that are invisible to the immune system
“hot” to rally the immune system against the tumor. Under the terms of
the agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim will provide an upfront payment,
near-term pre-clinical milestone payments and clinical, regulatory and
commercial milestone payments, including royalties on future product
sales.
Please click on the following link for ‘Notes to Editors’:
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200227005580/en/
Contacts
For further information:
Boehringer Ingelheim
Dr. Reinhard Malin
Head of Communications Innovation Unit
Boehringer Ingelheim Corporate Center GmbH
Media + PR
+49 6132 77-90815
reinhard.malin@boehringer-ingelheim.com
Linda Ruckel
Associate Director, Media and Corporate Reputation
Boehringer Ingelheim U.S.
Media + PR
+1 203-791-6672
linda.ruckel@boehringer-ingelheim.com
Trutino Bioscience
Phillip Kim
+1 858-880-5501
pkim@trutinobio.com
John Zacamy
+1 212-486-2760
info@trutinobio.com
