BOEHRINGER-INGELHEIM
21.9.2021 14:02:26 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
Boehringer Ingelheim today announced the acquisition of Abexxa Biologics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company taking a new approach in the fields of immuno-oncology and oncology research to develop the next generation of precision medicines designed to revolutionize cancer treatments. The acquisition will allow Boehringer Ingelheim to access Abexxa’s expertise in targeting cancer-specific proteins that are located inside the cell, rather than those expressed on the cell membrane. This enlarges the pool of potential cancer antigen targets. In particular, Abexxa’s technology could lead to the development of cancer immunotherapies that are effective in a broader range of patients and cancer types.
“The acquisition of Abexxa bolsters our commitment to tumor-antigen discovery and new ways of targeting intracellular antigens. Their cutting-edge know-how and technologies for antigen discovery and novel antibody generation strongly complement the current approaches we have been applying successfully to enable immune-targeting of cancer cells,” said Clive R. Wood, Ph.D., corporate senior vice president and global head of discovery research, Boehringer Ingelheim. “By expanding our portfolio of antibodies binding novel intracellular tumor antigens, we are striving to develop unique and broadly applicable new immunotherapeutic approaches for cancer patients,” added Wood.
Abexxa’s innovative platform unlocks the ability to target intracellular antigens of cancer cells by recognizing their presentation on the cell surface by MHC class 1 molecules. While the Abexxa platform addresses the more common HLA-A2 peptide presentation, the company has developed specific expertise in the nonclassical MHC class 1 molecule HLA-E, which has the potential to impact a broader set of cancer patients’ antigens. More specifically, Abexxa has developed a first-in-class T-cell receptor (TCR)-like antibody that can be used to disrupt the NKG2A:HLA-E immune checkpoint axis in oncology. Abexxa molecules are also being formulated to recruit immune cells targeting HLA-E peptide complexes on tumors.
In 2016, Boehringer Ingelheim’s Venture Fund, the arm of the company that invests in ground-breaking therapeutic and digital health approaches, awarded Abexxa initial investment funding. Later that year, Abexxa won Boehringer Ingelheim’s Innovation Prize, which facilitates business growth and rewards new companies for their dedication to innovation. The prize allowed Abexxa to expand operations into a shared lab space in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to continue its research. Boehringer Ingelheim’s investment in Abexxa demonstrates how the company is seeking to foster innovation across leading biotech communities, including the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, area.
“The investment by Boehringer Ingelheim’s Venture Fund in 2016 was a defining moment for Abexxa,” said Debra Wawro Weidanz, co-founder and CEO of Abexxa. “The acquisition by Boehringer Ingelheim allows our team to access the company’s expertise and capabilities in immuno-oncology and antibody development and to have the opportunity to translate Abexxa technology into a clinical asset,” said Jon Weidanz, Ph.D., co-founder and CSO of Abexxa.
This transaction is the latest in a series of strategic acquisitions and collaborations that reinforce Boehringer Ingelheim’s overall oncology strategy, bringing together cancer immunology and cancer cell directed therapies to fight cancer. This strategy has further strengthened Boehringer Ingelheim’s position in oncology through the development of leading assets and robust capabilities in cancer vaccines, oncolytic viruses, T-cell engagers, antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) and myeloid and stromal cell modulators. By combining its world-class in-house research and development with that of highly innovative biotechnology companies like Abexxa, Boehringer Ingelheim is developing innovative cancer immunology therapies and accelerating the delivery of the next generation of cancer treatments.
Learn more about Boehringer Ingelheim’s innovation in oncology here .
The total transaction includes an upfront payment, milestones and other consideration payments. Abexxa will continue to operate in the Arlington, Texas, area as a Boehringer Ingelheim family company, collaborating extensively with the colleagues at Boehringer Ingelheim’s U.S. research site in Ridgefield, Connecticut.
Please click on the following link for ‘Notes to Editors’:
http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/acquisition-expands-research-cancer-immunology
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210921005613/en/
Link:
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
iQmetrix to Deliver 2026 Telecom Industry Address and Product Announcements, Unveiling the Next Wave of Intelligent Commerce14.9.2026 19:40:00 CEST | Press release
iQmetrix's annual industry briefing goes global on October 28, pairing a year of worldwide market intelligence with the company's outlook on AI-native commerce and a first look at what's next for its Intelligent Commerce Operating System iQmetrix, the global provider of Intelligent Commerce Operating Systems for telecom, today opened registration for the 2026 Telecom Industry Address and Product Announcements, taking place Wednesday, October 28, 2026. For the first time in the event's history, iQmetrix will run two dedicated virtual sessions: one built specifically for European audiences, alongside its long-running North American event. Both are free to attend. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260914992633/en/ Now in its seventh year, the Industry Address has become the telecom channel's annual checkpoint: an unfiltered read on where the market is heading, delivered by a company that sits at the intersection of
The Estée Lauder Companies Announces Partnership with Profound to Expand AI Visibility Across Its Global Brand Portfolio14.9.2026 18:32:00 CEST | Press release
Partnership enables the company to lead prestige beauty's transition to AI-powered discovery while better understanding how consumers discover, evaluate, and engage with its brands across AI answer engines The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE: EL) today announced a global strategic partnership with Profound, the category-defining AI marketing platform, advancing its ambition to be prestige beauty’s leader in AI-native discovery. The partnership will provide the company with visibility into how its full portfolio of brands is represented across leading generative AI platforms, as well as opportunities to optimize that representation. This partnership establishes the company as the first in prestige beauty to deploy Profound’s capabilities globally across the company’s full portfolio and operationalize Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and AI marketing at scale. As consumers increasingly turn to ChatGPT, Gemini, and other AI assistants to discover products, compare recommendations, a
AMAALA Yacht Club Opens, Putting the Red Sea on the Global Yachting Map14.9.2026 18:00:00 CEST | Press release
Luxury sailing, wellness and exploration converge at Saudi Arabia's newest yachting destination Red Sea Global (RSG), the regenerative tourism developer, has announced that AMAALA Yacht Club has officially begun operations, marking a major milestone in establishing the Saudi Red Sea as a new global destination for luxury yachting, sailing and marine tourism. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260914160771/en/ AMAALA Yacht Club, the new luxury yachting destination on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. Nestled within AMAALA Marina Village, the AMAALA Yacht Club is now welcoming founding members and visiting yachts to moor and explore the destination. Located approximately 2,000 nautical miles from Monaco, the club provides a new winter destination for the world’s luxury sailing community, which traditionally migrates from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean or Indian Ocean from October. Positioned closer to the Mediterra
Behind the Stage Lights: How Students Learned to Trust Their Voices with Doha Debates14.9.2026 15:40:00 CEST | Press release
During high school years in Model United Nations, Dahlia Al-Ansari learned to argue on behalf of a country she was assigned to represent. But when Doha Debates invited her to join a town hall debate in Toronto this July, she faced an unfamiliar challenge: sharing her own beliefs about a timely issue. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260914150232/en/ Students from Qatar, Canada and Mexico during their visit to the University of Toronto as part of the Doha Debates Town Hall experience in Canada. (Photo: AETOSWire) An 18-year-old biological sciences student at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Al-Ansari hadn’t traveled to defend a predetermined position. Instead, she discovered that she was there to think critically, express her own viewpoint and remain open to diverse perspectives. This shift required her to navigate uncharted waters, but “I’m happy that it did,” she says. “It’s showing me the importance of sp
Matt Shafer Joins Golub Capital as Head of Golub Equity Continuation Partners14.9.2026 15:30:00 CEST | Press release
Golub Capital (“the Firm”) today announced the appointment of Matt Shafer as Managing Director and Head of the Firm’s GP-led private equity secondaries strategy, Golub Equity Continuation Partners (“GECP”). In this role, he will be responsible for leading the continued growth and development of the strategy and helping expand the Firm’s equity investment capabilities. Matt will work closely with Greg Cashman, Vice Chair and Co-Head of Golub Capital’s Sponsor Finance practice, to expand Golub Capital’s activity in this growing market. Shafer brings nearly three decades of global experience as an investor, financier and advisor working with private equity firms. He was most recently Head of Capital Solutions and U.S. Private Equity at Northleaf Capital Partners. In this role, Shafer helped lead the firm’s private equity investment activities, including secondaries, co‑investments and structured capital. Prior to Northleaf, he was Partner and Head of Americas Private Equity at Vision Capi
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom