Boehringer Ingelheim and Invetx Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance Monoclonal Antibody Biotherapeutics in Animal Health

Collaboration Focused on Discovery, Development and Commercialization of Novel Veterinary Medicines

INGELHEIM, Germany & BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Boehringer Ingelheim, a global leader in animal health, and Invetx, a pioneer in protein-based therapeutics for animal health, are pleased to announce they have entered into a collaboration agreement to develop novel, species-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) biotherapeutics targeting a wide range of diseases in the veterinary species, initially focused on dogs and cats.

For each selected target, Invetx will apply its unique platform to the discovery and optimization of best-in-class candidates and Boehringer Ingelheim will advance these therapies through clinical and regulatory development to bring them to market. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“This partnership is a prime example of Boehringer Ingelheim’s commitment to address unmet needs in the rapidly growing animal health market,” shared Dr. Eric Haaksma, head of global innovation, animal health at Boehringer Ingelheim. “We were drawn to working with Invetx, in particular, because of the company’s cutting-edge discovery platform, optimization technologies and antibody expertise. Together, we will leverage innovation to discover breakthrough scientific advancements to improve animal health.”

Today, monoclonal antibodies are currently used in the treatment of many human diseases. The therapy is a form of immunotherapy that uses monoclonal antibodies to bind monospecifically to certain cells or proteins, mimicking the body’s own natural response to attack those cells. Leveraging the technology in animal health creates great potential to address unmet needs.

Invetx’s fully integrated platform encompassing discovery, product development and commercial manufacturing sets a new standard for veterinary biotherapeutics. By applying validated technologies in human biotech and optimizing them for veterinary application, Invetx can generate differentiated antibodies against a wide range of targets to treat a variety of chronic and serious diseases in animals.

“We are thrilled to partner with global animal health leader Boehringer Ingelheim, using our unique discovery platform to deliver fully species-specific, optimized and half-life extended biotherapeutics,” said Juergen Horn, PhD, chief executive officer, Invetx. “These programs will complement our own proprietary portfolio and strengthen our position as a leader in creating novel, transformative and best-in-class therapies for veterinary patients.”

About Invetx

Invetx is building the world’s premier biotechnology platform for protein-based therapeutics in animal health to transform standards of care in veterinary medicine.

The company completed a $25.5 million Series A financing in 2020 with investors Anterra Capital, Casdin Capital and funds managed by Tekla Capital Management, LLC. Strategic investment partners are AbCellera Biologics, a biotech company specializing in antibody discovery located in Vancouver, BC, and WuXi Biologics, a global company with leading biologics technology platforms. Invetx is a private company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. For more information, see www.invetx.com.

About Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health

The lives of animals and humans are interconnected in deep and complex ways. We know that when animals are healthy, humans are healthier too. Across the globe, our 9,700 employees are dedicated to delivering value through innovation, thus enhancing the well-being of both.

Respect for animals, humans and the environment is at the heart of what we do. We develop solutions and provide services to protect animals from disease and pain. We support our customers in taking care of the health of their animals and protect our communities against life- and society-threatening diseases.

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health is the second largest animal health business in the world, with net sales of 4.1 billion euros in 2020 and presence in more than 150 countries. For more information visit www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/animal-health.

About Boehringer Ingelheim

Boehringer Ingelheim is working on breakthrough therapies that improve the lives of humans and animals. As a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, the company creates value through innovation in areas of high unmet medical need. Founded in 1885 and family-owned ever since, Boehringer Ingelheim takes a long-term perspective. Around 52,000 employees serve more than 130 markets in the three business areas, Human Pharma, Animal Health, and Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing. Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com.