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New molecular platform to access intracellular targets across a
broad range of tumor cell types -
Opens up new range of therapeutic opportunities for
difficult-to-treat cancers
INGELHEIM, Germany & BERLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Boehringer Ingelheim today announced that it acquired ICD Therapeutics.
The acquisition includes rights to ICD’s innovative MacroDel
biologics-delivery platform. Boehringer Ingelheim will employ this
platform for the development of novel therapeutics in collaboration with
nanoPET Pharma GmbH, a former shareholder of ICD Therapeutics. Further
details of the acquisition are not being disclosed.
“Boehringer Ingelheim’s collaboration with nanoPET Pharma has the
potential to eliminate the hurdle that many cancer biologics face:
getting access to targets inside tumor cells,” said Norbert Kraut,
Ph.D., Global Head of Cancer Research, Boehringer Ingelheim. “We will
use ICD’s MacroDel technology to develop first-in-class potential drug
candidates for intracellular targets across a variety of tumor types,
for the benefit of patients who so far have no or only inadequate
treatment options.”
Engineered proteins and peptides offer great potential to block
protein-protein interactions inside cancer cells, but their large size
is generally assumed to prevent intracellular delivery. ICD’s MacroDel
technology exploits transporter proteins in the cell membrane to deliver
such drug candidates inside tumor cells. This opens up therapeutic
targets that would be otherwise inaccessible.
“nanoPET Pharma looks forward to collaborating with Boehringer Ingelheim
on the pre-clinical refinement of ICD’s MacroDel to achieve effective
intracellular delivery of macromolecules such as peptides and proteins,”
said Andreas Briel, Ph.D., Managing Director of nanoPET Pharma GmbH. “We
are excited to contribute to Boehringer Ingelheim’s discovery and
development of innovative medicines for patients in need.”
More about MacroDel
Tree-like highly branched molecules
known as dendrimers form a fundamental component of the MacroDel
platform. The size, shape and electrical charge of this structure permit
it to grasp large therapeutic biological molecules. After binding with
the biologic, the resulting compound selectively interacts with
transporter proteins known to be highly expressed on tumor cell wall
membranes. These transporters help “carry” the compound through the
membrane and into the cell. The medicinal cargo is then in position to
disrupt the disease process in a precise manner at a molecular level.
A prior investment from Boehringer Ingelheim’s Venture Fund (BIVF)
supported ICD’s development of the MacroDel technology. The BIVF
strategically invests in groundbreaking therapeutics-focused
biotechnology companies to enable development of their technologies for
therapeutic applications that have potential for strategic partnerships
with Boehringer Ingelheim or other pharmaceutical partners.
Please click on the link for ‘Notes to Editors’ and ‘References’:
http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/acquisition-novel-oncology-delivery-technology
Contacts
Media Contacts:
Boehringer Ingelheim
Dr.
Reinhard Malin
Head of Communications Innovation Unit
Boehringer
Ingelheim Corporate Center GmbH
Media + PR
P: +49 6132 77-90815
press@boehringer-ingelheim.com
Linda Ruckel
Associate Director, Media and Corporate
Reputation
Boehringer Ingelheim U.S.
Media + PR
P: +
203-791-6672
linda.ruckel@boehringer-ingelheim.com
nanoPET Pharma GmbH
Dr. Andreas Briel
nanoPET
Pharma GmbH
Robert-Koch-Platz 4
D-10115 Berlin
Tel. +49
(0)30 890 49 740
Email: andreas.briel@nanopet.de