German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim has acquired US-based drug discovery and development company Nerio Therapeutics for a total of up to $1.3bn.
Nerio Therapeutics is focused on discovering and developing phosphatases, a difficult class of potentially high-value therapeutic protein targets.
The acquisition includes Nerio’s advanced preclinical programme, which expands Boehringer Ingelheim’s immuno-oncology pipeline.
The German drugmaker aims to develop the preclinical programme as a potential key component for its immuno-oncology portfolio, to improve cancer treatment.
Boehringer Ingelheim board of managing directors member Paola Casarosa said: “Securing the rights to Nerio Therapeutics’ novel checkpoint inhibitors creates a broad panel of exciting new cancer treatment combination opportunities.”
Nerio Therapeutics co-founder and CEO, Avalon BioVentures partner Sanford Madigan said: “We believe Nerio’s small molecule PTPN1/N2 inhibitors have superior drug-like properties and provide a first-in-class opportunity.
“We are excited to expand Boehringer Ingelheim’s pipeline and commend their commitment to unlock the full potential of our compounds and their mechanistically unique approach to fighting cancer.”
Nerio’s small molecules inhibit the protein tyrosine phosphatases N1 and N2 (PTPN1 and PTPN2), which act as immune checkpoints.
The mechanism of PTPN1/2 inhibition can activate the immune system to fight cancer cells.
Boehringer Ingelheim intends to extend the benefits of immuno-oncology to more cancer patients with a comprehensive portfolio of therapies based on immune checkpoint blockade.
The small molecule inhibitors from Nerio will be a crucial addition to the German drugmaker’s portfolio with the potential to act as a single-agent therapy.
Boehringer Ingelheim said the acquisition further strengthens its portfolio of cancer cell-directed and immuno-oncology investigational therapies for smart combinations to treat cancer.
