Boehringer licenses a novel first class treatment for fibro-inflammatory diseases from Kyowa Kirin.

The new development program is part of Boehringer Ingelheim’s commitment to combat fibro-inflammatory diseases by developing breakthrough therapies, building on the company’s expertise and leadership in this disease area, to improve patient outcomes. Under the terms of the agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim will receive exclusive, worldwide rights from Kyowa Kirin to develop novel, first-in-class treatments for fibro-inflammatory diseases. Kyowa Kirin is eligible to receive up to EUR 410 million comprising of an upfront payment, success-based development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, in addition to royalties on sales. Fibro-inflammatory diseases result from chronic inflammation caused by a variety of factors including persistent infections, autoimmune reactions, allergic responses and tissue injury. Examples are systemic sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, lung fibrosis and others. They are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Living with fibro-inflammatory diseases greatly impact patients’ lives, both physically and emotionally and they account for more than one third of deaths worldwide. “There is a huge remaining unmet patient need in fibro-inflammatory diseases,” said Clive R. Wood, Ph.D., Corporate Senior Vice President and Global Head of Discovery Research at Boehringer Ingelheim. “We are very excited about partnering with Kyowa Kirin and being able to add this opportunity to our portfolio to develop new breakthrough treatments for patients with this new collaboration.”