Boehringer Ingelheim and Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. (TSE: 4151, President and COO: Abdul Mullick) have announced a strategic licensing agreement under which Boehringer Ingelheim will develop a potential first-in-class small molecule therapy for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. The pre-clinical program, originally discovered by Kyowa Kirin, will strengthen Boehringer Ingelheim’s expanding pipeline of innovative treatments aimed at addressing the root causes of autoimmune conditions.
Autoimmune diseases affect nearly one in ten people worldwide, posing a major and growing public health burden. Despite therapeutic progress, there remains an urgent need for more effective and durable treatment options. As a global leader in immunology and autoimmune research, Boehringer Ingelheim continues to pursue novel mechanisms that can bring highly targeted, long-lasting relief to patients.
“Our commitment to delivering life-changing therapies for patients with autoimmune diseases is unwavering. We are pleased to add a potential first-in-class program to our growing pipeline,” said Carine Boustany, U.S. Innovation Unit Site Head and Global Head of Immunology and Respiratory Diseases at Boehringer Ingelheim. “This agreement constitutes an important step toward delivering breakthrough treatments for patients.”
Takeyoshi Yamashita, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Kyowa Kirin, added, “This compound, discovered through Kyowa Kirin’s deep expertise in innovative technology and disease biology, holds tremendous potential. Leveraging Boehringer Ingelheim’s renowned expertise in inflammatory diseases, we are confident that this innovation will be developed efficiently and delivered to the patients who need it most.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim will gain exclusive worldwide rights to develop the program. Kyowa Kirin will receive up to €640 million, including an upfront payment and milestone-based development, regulatory, and commercial payments, along with royalties on potential future sales.
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