BOEHRINGER-INGELHEIM
Boehringer Ingelheim and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center today announced the extension and expansion of their joint Virtual Research and Development Center (VRDC) to explore new molecules from Boehringer Ingelheim’s KRAS (Kirsten rat sarcoma) and TRAILR2 (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor 2) portfolios for the potential treatment of lung cancer, particularly non-small cell lung cancer.
The collaboration, launched in 2019, has successfully combined MD Anderson’s innovative clinical research infrastructure and the patient-driven drug development capabilities of the Therapeutics Discovery division with Boehringer Ingelheim’s pipeline of innovative cancer medicines and expertise in advancing breakthrough therapies. Under the new agreement, joint research will continue for five additional years.
“Our collaboration with MD Anderson strengthens our determination to find solutions for the most difficult-to-treat cancers, and this latest commitment marks an important step forward, especially in our holistic KRAS program,” said Norbert Kraut, Ph.D., Head of Global Cancer Research at Boehringer Ingelheim. “We are delighted to extend our collaboration with MD Anderson. With our shared dedication to patients and like-minded approach to innovation, we have the potential to bring the medicines to lung and gastrointestinal cancer patients that they so much need.”
The flexible nature of the VRDC agreement allows the teams to expand their lung cancer indication programs targeting KRAS and TRAILR2, including Boehringer Ingelheim’s first-in-class SOS1::pan-KRAS inhibitor (BI 1701963), inhibitors of KRAS G12C (BI 1823911) and MEK (BI 3011441), as well as a novel undisclosed bi-specific TRAILR2 agonist.
The collaboration already has resulted in a number of joint publications, conference presentations (including at the 2021 AACR Annual Meeting) and clinical trial activities. Boehringer Ingelheim is pursuing a comprehensive mutant KRAS-directed effort with multiple programs expected to enter the VRDC with MD Anderson.
“We are proud to expand our work with Boehringer Ingelheim in a very exciting drug-development space – advancing novel targeted therapies against KRAS and TRAILR2,” said Timothy Heffernan, Ph.D., Head of Oncology Research in Therapeutics Discovery at MD Anderson. “Our collaboration is built upon a strong working relationship and complementary expertise, highlighting how an academic center and a pharmaceutical company can strategically work together to advance innovative therapies for patients with cancer.”
MD Anderson’s Therapeutics Discovery division is anchored by an experienced team of drug development experts working to advance the next generation of cancer therapies. The Translational Research to Advance Therapeutics and Innovation in Oncology (TRACTION) platform, led by Heffernan, performs cutting-edge translational research to rapidly advance new therapies to the patients most likely to benefit.
KRAS is the most frequently mutated cancer-causing oncogene. One in seven of all human metastatic cancers expresses KRAS mutations, with mutation rates of more than 30 percent in lung adenocarcinomas, more than 40 percent in colorectal cancers and more than 90 percent in pancreatic cancers. No approved treatments for KRAS-driven cancers exist currently, further underscoring the need for continued investment in research and development. Tumor cell-selective activation of TRAILR2 can trigger cancer cell death in indications of high medical need, including lung and gastrointestinal malignancies.
Intended Audiences
This press release is issued from our corporate headquarters in Ingelheim, Germany and is intended to provide information about our global business. Please be aware that information relating to the approval status and labels of approved products may vary from country to country, and a country-specific press release on this topic may have been issued in the countries where we do business.
Disclosures
MD Anderson has an institutional financial conflict of interest with Boehringer Ingelheim related to this research and has therefore implemented an Institutional Conflict of Interest Management and Monitoring Plan.
Please click on the following link for ‘Notes to Editors’ and ‘References’:
http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/expanded-collaboration-md-anderson
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210414005484/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
Elegen and Nutcracker Therapeutics to Pilot First Fully Cell-Free Manufacturing Process for RNA-based Personalized Cancer Therapeutics11.7.2025 14:00:00 CEST | Press release
Fully cell-free process aims to further democratize personalized cancer therapeutic manufacturing with shorter turnaround times and negligible bioburden and endotoxin risks. Elegen, a global leader in next-generation DNA manufacturing, and Nutcracker Therapeutics, a global leader in next-generation RNA design and manufacturing, today announced the launch of a pilot program to demonstrate the industry’s first fully synthetic, cell-free manufacturing platform for RNA-based personalized cancer therapeutics (PCTs). The pilot marks another step toward making PCTs more accessible, timely, and scalable. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250711152688/en/ As late-stage PCT clinical trials progress and therapy developers work to create the next generation of PCTs, the speed, reliability, scaling and cost of traditional production methods pose a major challenge. Specifically, the first step of DNA template production is hi
$MBG Token Pre-Sale Set for July 15 — Only 7 Million Tokens Available at $0.3511.7.2025 10:17:00 CEST | Press release
MultiBank Group, the world’s largest financial derivatives institution headquartered in Dubai, has confirmed that its highly anticipated $MBG Token pre-sale will go live on July 15, with demand expected to be intense. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250711737311/en/ With only 7 million $MBG tokens up for grabs at an exclusive entry price of $0.35, this is a rare opportunity to secure early access to what many are calling the year’s most powerful utility asset. With only 7 million tokens up for grabs at an exclusive entry price of $0.35, this is a rare opportunity to secure early access to what many are calling the year’s most powerful utility asset. Early participants can join simultaneously on MultiBank.io, the Group’s regulated crypto exchange, and Uniswap, the world’s leading decentralized platform. Supported by $29 billion in real assets and powered by over $35 billion in daily turnover, $MBG is engineered
Live Story Raises €2.7 Million to Revolutionize the Digital Experience11.7.2025 10:05:00 CEST | Press release
With a round led by Vertis, the next-generation CMS platform accelerates its focus onAI, performance, and European expansion. Target: surpass €10M in recurring revenueby 2027. Live Story, the tech company founded by Stefano Mocellini, has closed a €2.7 million seed round led by Vertis, one of Italy’s leading early-growth venture capital firms. The funding will support the company’s international expansion and technological development, with a clear goal: to exceed €10 million in annual recurringrevenue by 2027. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250711335560/en/ “We invested in Live Story because it addresses one of the major inefficiencies in digital commerce: the slow and rigid management of visual and narrative content,” says Alessandro Pontari, Partner at Vertis SGR. “The platform helps brands drastically reduce their time-to-market through a visual CMS that integrates seamlessly with any tech stack. In a wor
With a Score of 84 out of 100, Sagemcom Is Awarded the EcoVadis Platinum Medal: a Prestigious Recognition of its CSR Commitment11.7.2025 09:00:00 CEST | Press release
Sagemcom Group is proud to announce that it has been awarded, for the third time, the Platinum Medal by EcoVadis, the highest distinction granted by the leading global platform for assessing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) performance. This medal places Sagemcom in the top 1% of companies evaluated worldwide, across all industries. With a score of 84 out of 100, Sagemcom reaffirms its position as a committed leader in ecological transition, business ethics, sustainable supply chain management, and social responsibility. “The EcoVadis Platinum Medal is more than just an award — it is the recognition of our collective efforts to embed sustainable development principles at the heart of our corporate strategy and culture,” says Sylvaine Couleur, Executive Vice President, CSR & Communication. “Achieving this level demonstrates that our commitments are tangible, impactful, and internationally recognized. This distinction strengthens our determination to further advance and expand our C
IEEE Standards Commitment to Advancing AI Governance Includes Impactful Contributions to New International AI Standards Exchange11.7.2025 08:00:00 CEST | Press release
IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for humanity, and its IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) announced today that its portfolio of over 100 global AI-related standards is included in the new International AI Standards Exchange. This Exchange is a centralized repository of international AI standards with the aim to foster collaboration and responsible AI development worldwide. IEEE and its AI global standards were recognized in the 2024 United Nations AI Advisory Body’s Report, Governing AI for Humanity, which created the impetus for the AI Standards Exchange. Due to its impactful AI standards and related work, IEEE, a major standards body, was included as a partner in the establishment of the Exchange. IEEE President and CEO Kathleen Kramer, who is speaking at the AI for Good Summit this year at the High-Level AI Standards Panel,shares, “IEEE’s mission of advancing technology for the benefit of humanity is foundational to ou
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