Rectify Pharmaceuticals has entered a strategic research and licensing agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim to accelerate the development of treatments for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and other conditions.

The collaboration leverages Rectify’s PFM platform to develop oral, small molecules that enhance ABCC6 protein function and reduce calcification, which is a key disease driver of cardiorenal dysfunction in CKDs.

Under the terms of the agreement, Rectify will receive an upfront payment and has the potential to earn up to USD 448 million through preclinical, clinical regulatory and commercial milestones, in addition to tiered royalties on future product sales.

“Rectify’s collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim validates the potential of our PFM platform to enhance wild-type protein function to address underlying disease biology, opening the door to large, common disease opportunities like CKD that affect millions of people. We’re delighted to collaborate with Boehringer Ingelheim, who share our commitment to addressing unmet needs in serious diseases with only limited treatment options. Our work together represents an important step forward for Rectify to advance development of novel disease-modifying therapeutics that could fundamentally shift outcomes for patients,” said Rajesh Devraj, PhD, Chief Executive Officer and President, Rectify.

ABCC6 is a central regulator of systemic anti-calcification mechanisms via inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi), which inhibits calcification. In CKD, as well as rare genetic disorders like Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) and Generalised Arterial Calcification of Infancy (GACI), ABCC6 protein levels drop, leading to low PPi levels, vascular calcification and increased cardiovascular risk.

Rectify’s orally active PFMs have shown the possibility to restore or enhance mutated or wild-type ABCC6 protein function and have the potential to address the pathologic calcification that leads to disease progression in CKD, PXE and GACI.           

“Rectify’s PFM platform offers a differentiated approach to developing disease-modifying treatments that target fundamental drivers of cardiorenal dysfunction. The ability to enhance ABCC6 function and reduce calcification opens new possibilities for patients with CKD and other diseases where calcification is a key pathology. We are excited to work with Rectify’s scientists to deliver much-needed new treatments to people living with CKD and other diseases,” said Soren Tullin, Global Head, Cardiovascular-Renal-Metabolic Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim.