Boehringer Ingelheim and Immunitas Therapeutics have announced a global licensing agreement for a preclinical antibody program being developed for chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The program is designed to selectively target cells that play a central role in driving chronic inflammation, with the goal of achieving sustained disease control for patients who do not respond adequately to current therapies.

Chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases affect millions of people worldwide and can significantly impact quality of life. While current therapies have improved outcomes for some patients, many experience limited or diminishing benefit over time. New approaches that address the underlying drivers of inflammation are needed to achieve longer?lasting disease control.

Unlike therapies that block individual inflammatory signals, the licensed Immunitas antibody program is designed to target pathogenic cells localised at the sites of inflammation. By targeting this subset of pathogenic cells, the approach has the potential to provide deeper and more durable benefit across a range of inflammatory conditions.

Carine Boustany, US Innovation Unit Site Head and Global Head of Immunology and Respiratory Diseases, Boehringer Ingelheim, said, “This agreement expands our growing pipeline in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and reflects our commitment to developing treatments that can deliver meaningful, long?term benefit for patients. By complementing our existing portfolio with this differentiated preclinical program, we aim to address areas where current treatment options fall short.”

The agreement further strengthens Boehringer Ingelheim’s growing pipeline in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and builds on a series of recent partnerships in this therapeutic area. Boehringer Ingelheim will leverage its global research, development, manufacturing and commercialisation capabilities to advance the program toward clinical development and, ultimately, to patients worldwide.

Under the terms of the agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim will obtain worldwide rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise the antibody program. Immunitas Therapeutics will receive an upfront payment and is eligible to receive near-term and future development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments totaling up to €407.5 million, in addition to tiered royalties on future sales. Further details of the agreement are not being disclosed.

Amanda Wagner, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Immunitas Therapeutics, said, “This program is the result of insights into human biology that Immunitas explored extensively preclinically. Partnering with Boehringer Ingelheim enables us to advance this novel therapeutic into clinical development with a global organisation that has deep expertise in immunology and drug development. We believe this collaboration has the potential to translate our science into new treatment options for patients living with chronic inflammatory diseases who need better solutions.”