Another immune-oncology acquisition for Boehringer

Hot on the heels of yesterday’s announcement that it is buying immuno-oncology firm Labor Dr Merk & Kollega, Boehringer Ingelheim today said it has signed a binding agreement to acquire all the shares of NBE-Therapeutics, a private, clinical-stage Swiss I-O biotech focused on antibody-drug conjugates and advancing targeted cancer therapies derived from its immune stimulatory iADC platform.

NBE-Therapeutics’ lead compound NBE-002 is currently in Phase I clinical studies for triple negative breast cancer and other solid tumors. Importantly, family-owned German drug major Boehringer gains access to an innovative and unique platform that it will use to build a leading ADC portfolio and develop potential combinations with other assets from its cancer immunology portfolio.

“NBE-Therapeutics’ iADC platform adds exceptional tumor targeting capabilities to our oncology portfolio. Together with our immune cell-targeting assets, this could enable new powerful combinations that will allow for efficacious and durable treatments for patients,” said Michel Pairet, a member of Boehringer‘s board of managing directors with responsibility for the company’s Innovation Unit, adding: “This acquisition is a further example of Boehringer Ingelheim’s long-term strategy to enhance our posit on as an innovator of novel cancer therapies for patients in need. We welcome NBE-Therapeutics’ richly talented team to Boehringer Ingelheim and we look forward to collaborating with them on this important work.”