OSE Immunotherapeutics and Boehringer Ingelheim announced a major expansion of their partnership.

Two new projects to develop first-in-class treatments will be added to the ongoing anti-SIRPα immuno-oncology programs. The first involves broadening the therapeutic evaluation of an already partnered asset to reach more patients and the other a new asset acquisition:

• Reflecting an amendment of the existing collaboration and license agreement for the anti-SIRPα immuno-oncology compounds BI 765063 and BI 770371, which are being investigated in Phase I clinical studies in advanced solid tumors, development will now also be pursued in cardiovascular-renal-metabolic (CRM) diseases.
• A new preclinical program will be launched to develop immune-cell activating treatments based on OSE’s cis-targeting¹ anti-PD1/cytokine platform via an asset acquisition.

Affecting over one billion lives globally², CRM diseases cause 20 million deaths annually. They are interconnected, co-exist, and can amplify one another, resulting in a significant burden on patients’ lives. Cancer accounts for nearly 10 million deaths and for many cancer patients there are no or only limited treatment options.

The new development programs bolster Boehringer Ingelheim’s pipeline and reflects the company’s unwavering commitment to explore and progress new therapies to address unmet patient needs, including in CRM diseases and cancer. The cis-targeting anti-PD1/cytokine platform asset will further enrich Boehringer Ingelheim’s array of novel potential immune-modulatory cancer treatments. The development of the ongoing anti-SIRPα compounds for a new indication adds to the company’s comprehensive CRM pipeline with the initiation of a Phase 2 clinical study planned for later this year.

“We are very pleased to expand our pipeline of potential first-in-class CRM disease therapies, as well as our pipeline of first-in-class T-cell based anti-cancer therapies,” said Clive R. Wood, Corporate Senior Vice President and Global Head of Discovery Research at Boehringer Ingelheim. “The expansion of our partnership with OSE reflects our joint mission to improving patient outcomes in two of the biggest threats to global health.”

Nicolas Poirier, CEO of OSE Immunotherapeutics, commented: “We are excited about adding two highly innovative new development programs to our fruitful collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim. We look forward to working with the scientists at Boehringer Ingelheim on the new development programs that have the potential to bring new breakthrough therapy options to patients with CRM diseases and cancer.”

OSE Immunotherapeutics will receive EUR 13.5. million in upfront payment and a potential near-term milestone of EUR 17.5 million for the purchase of a novel, cis-targeting anti-PD-1/cytokine asset in preclinical stage. Regarding the two ongoing anti-SIRPα programs BI 765063 and BI 770371 the parties agreed on partial royalty buy-out monetizing with a one-time payment of EUR 25.3 million. Furthermore, Boehringer is granted an option for an additional buy-out during further development triggering a one-time payment plus the increase of one sales milestone. All other agreed development, regulatory and sales milestone payments of up to €1.1 billion remain as agreed between the parties under the initial agreement.