Boehringer pledges up to $33.6m for OSE Therapeutics' cancer asset

Boehringer Ingelheim has expanded its oncology portfolio by acquiring a preclinical asset from long-term partner OSE Immunotherapeutics. The deal, which includes an upfront payment of €13.5 million ($14.6 million) and potential milestone payments of €17.5 million ($19 million), focuses on the development of a checkpoint inhibitor.

The German pharmaceutical giant aims to develop immune-cell activating treatments using the newly acquired cis-targeting anti-PD-1/cytokine platform. This acquisition is set to diversify Boehringer Ingelheim’s range of immune-modulatory cancer therapies, according to a joint press release by both companies.

In addition to the new asset, Boehringer Ingelheim and OSE Immunotherapeutics have also broadened the scope of two existing clinical compounds. Initially developed for advanced solid tumors, BI 765063 and BI 770371 will now also be investigated for cardiovascular-renal-metabolic (CRM) diseases. Both compounds are currently in Phase I clinical trials and have shown promising results. Boehringer plans to commence a Phase II study later this year to further explore the efficacy of these anti-SIRPα compounds in CRM diseases.

The partnership between Boehringer Ingelheim and OSE Immunotherapeutics dates back to 2018. It began with Boehringer acquiring OSE’s OSE-172, which has since been renamed BI 765063. This antibody combats tumor evasion by blocking the "don’t eat me" signal that tumors use to avoid being destroyed by the immune system. By inhibiting this signal’s binding partner, SIRPα, the immune system can function normally and target tumors effectively.

BI 765063 has already shown positive results in a Phase I study for solid tumors, and Boehringer is now extending its application to CRM diseases. BI 770371, another antibody targeting both variants of SIRPα, will also join BI 765063 in these new investigations. Boehringer has invested additional funds to partially buy out royalties for these programs, amounting to $27.4 million, while other developmental and regulatory milestones remain unchanged, potentially reaching a total of $1.19 billion.

Boehringer Ingelheim has shown robust growth recently, even surpassing Bayer to become Germany’s largest pharmaceutical company last year, with revenues of €20.8 billion ($22.56 billion) from its human pharma division. This growth has been primarily driven by the diabetes drug Jardiance (empagliflozin) and the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treatment Ofev (nintedanib).

Earlier this year, Boehringer made significant advances in T cell therapy by striking a deal worth $538.5 million with 3T Biosciences to develop new immuno-oncology therapies. Boehringer’s corporate senior vice president and global head of discovery research, Clive Wood, expressed satisfaction with the expansion of their CRM and T cell-based anti-cancer therapy pipelines.

OSE Immunotherapeutics has also caught the attention of other pharmaceutical giants. AbbVie, for instance, secured a global license for OSE’s preclinical antibody targeting chronic and severe inflammation for $48 million, with the potential for an additional $665 million in milestone-based payments.

This acquisition and the expansion of existing programs underscore Boehringer Ingelheim’s commitment to diversifying its therapeutic offerings, particularly in immune-oncology and CRM diseases. The strategic collaborations and acquisitions highlight the company’s focus on innovation and expanding its portfolio of first-in-class therapies.