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Advancing cancer research through clinical collaboration

Transforming innovative scientific ideas into breakthrough therapies for patients increasingly requires a strong, international network of partners. Boehringer Ingelheim is dedicated to collaborating with researchers and the wider oncology community. Our approach is grounded in mutual trust, shared goals and a passion for leading science.

Read more about our ongoing collaborations below.

Boehringer Ingelheim oncology: ongoing collaborations
Boehringer Ingelheim oncology: ongoing collaborations

Selection of example partnerships. Please note that these partnerships are non-exclusive.

Our pre-clinical and research collaborations

We are developing a growing collaborative network with academic centers and biotechnology companies, reflecting our focus on leading science. Our research collaborators include:

3T Biosciences

Our two partnerships in as many years with 3T Biosciences aim to accelerate and expand our pipeline of T-cell based therapies. The partnerships bring together 3T Biosciences’ 3T-TRACE (T-Cell Receptor Antigen and Cross-Reactivity Engine) discovery platform with our immune cell-targeting compound approaches.1

AACR GENIE

Project GENIE is a registry of real-world genomic and clinical cancer data. Through collaboration with biopharmaceutical companies, Project GENIE is adopting a common data model to allow details about each patient's journey with cancer to be collated at a larger scale.2

Broad Institute

We are industry partners of the DepMap Consortium, which aims to accelerate precision cancer medicine by creating a comprehensive map of tumor vulnerabilities.3 

Cancer Research UK-Manchester

Our partnership with Cancer Research UK-Manchester embraces the synergies in drug discovery and development with translational expertise to develop cancer therapeutics for lung and colorectal cancers.4

CBMed

We have engaged in a long-term strategic partnership with CBmed GmbH Center for Biomarker Research in Medicine in Graz. We will jointly apply translational medicine approaches to accelerate the development of first-in-class medicines to transform the lives of people with cancer.5

CheckmAb

We are collaborating with CheckmAb to translate their unique insights in the biology and targeting of tumor-infiltrating regulatory T-cells (Tregs) into new treatments for people living with cancer.6

Circle Pharma

Our research collaboration and license agreement with Circle Pharma has the shared goal of developing a first-in-class cyclin inhibitor that can halt the growth of cancer cells potentially offering hope to those living with hard-to-treat cancers.7

Dundee University

We have joined forces with the University of Dundee to develop PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeric molecules (PROTACs) as new therapeutic modalities. Dr Alessio Ciulli, based at the School of Life Sciences at Dundee, is one of the pioneers in the field of PROTACs, which target disease-causing proteins for degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome system.8

Enara Bio

Our partnership with Enara Bio combines our approach to tackle cancer through pairing leading science with innovative immune-oncology platforms, such as oncolytic viruses, with Enara Bio’s expertise in cancer antigen identification.9

IBM

We are collaborating with IBM to leverage IBM’s foundation model technologies in the discovery of novel candidate antibodies for the development of efficient therapeutics.10

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Our collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center focuses on development of potential therapies that target a range of KRAS-driven cancers.11

Numab Therapeutics

We are working together with Numab Therapeutics to develop novel immune cell-directed treatments for difficult-to-treat lung and gastrointestinal cancers. The collaboration brings together our leading expertise in the research and development of life-changing breakthrough therapies with Numab’s multi-specific antibody platform.12

Oxford BioTherapeutics

This collaboration will leverage Oxford BioTherapeutics’ proprietary OGAP® (Oxford Genome Anatomy Project) to discover novel selective tumor targets for our T-cell engager and oncolytic virus platforms.13 This collaboration has yielded two clinical stage assets.

Peking University

We are working closely with research teams at Peking University to identify novel targets and medicines within key therapeutic areas that include cancer immunology and immune modulation, respiratory, cardiometabolic, and central nervous system diseases.14

Phenomic AI

We entered into a strategic collaboration and licensing agreement with Phenomic AI to discover targets important in stroma-rich cancers. The partnership will leverage Phenomic’s expertise in target identification and stromal biology based on its scTx® single-cell transcriptomics platform.15

Qiagen

Our collaboration with Qiagen has resulted in the approval of a companion diagnostic test for EGFR in lung cancer.16

Quantro Therapeutics

We have partnered with Quantro Therapeutics to develop drug candidates for transcription regulation in cancer.17

Research Institute of Molecular Pathology

The Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), founded in 1985, is funded primarily by Boehringer Ingelheim. IMP is a leading basic research institute in Vienna, Austria, with 13 research groups that include scientists from 40 countries. As part of Vienna BioCenter, the IMP is embedded in one of Europe’s biggest life science hubs with approximately 2,800 people working on life science research, education, and business.18

Synaffix

Our partnership with Synaffix gives us access to the company’s antibody drug conjugate (ADC) technology for a number of high-profile ADC targets for oncology research.19

Tessellate Bio

We have partnered with Tessellate Bio to develop first-in-class precision treatments for people living with ALT+ cancers.20

Tokyo University of Science

We are partnering with Tokyo University of Science to explore novel cancer treatments.21

Trutino Biosciences

We are partnering with Trutino Biosciences to develop safer, more tolerable, and more effective cytokine therapies for single agent and novel combinations with our oncolytic virus, T-cell engager, and myeloid-targeting therapies.22

University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein

Partnering with University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein allows us to compare tissue and liquid biopsies in people with different types of cancer.23

University of Pennsylvania

The National Institute of Health/Boehringer Ingelheim Summer Research Program at the University of Pennsylvania is designed to expose students to all phases of biomedical research.24

VantAI

VantAI will pair its induced proximity platform with our deep early discovery experience to identify targeted protein degraders with enhanced properties for traditionally “undruggable” targets.25

WEHI

Partnering with WEHI brings our combined expertise in the biology and therapeutic targeting of inhibitors of apoptosis proteins, protein degradation, and drug discovery to target cancer-causing proteins.26

Our clinical collaborations

We are involved in a number of collaborations, including:

Aimed Bio

We executed a collaboration and license agreement with Aimed Bio to advance our antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) portfolio with a new asset expected to enter first-in-human studies in 2026.27

BioNTech

Our clinical trial collaboration with BioNTech aims to evaluate a new immuno-oncology combination for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). By combining two complementary therapies, we seek to explore a potential new treatment approach for people living with this aggressive form of lung cancer.28

iCAN Finland

We are the first company to join the iCAN Finland flagship partnership, hosted by the University of Helsinki and HUS Helsinki University Hospital. The partnership enables a uniquely large and broad pan-cancer study, the iCAN Flagship Project.29

Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research

We entered into a comprehensive partnership with the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research to promote clinical development in oncology.30

MD Anderson Cancer Center

We are collaborating with the MD Anderson Cancer Center to develop innovative medicines for various types of cancers, including gastrointestinal and lung cancers.31

Mount Sinai

A research alliance with Mount Sinai Hospital that aims to explore different therapeutic concepts within the ubiquitin system, a highly attractive and potentially rich area of unprecedented drug targets.32

National Cancer Center, Japan

We are working together with the National Cancer Center, Japan, to carry out early drug discovery and translational research focusing on specific biomarkers and tumor types that are prevalent in Asia.33

OSE Immunotherapeutics

Based on licensed technology from OSE Immunotherapeutics, we are investigating a first-in-class myeloid cell-surface molecule signal regulatory protein alpha (SIRPα) antagonist, BI 770371. The monoclonal antibody blocks the interaction between SIRPα and CD47 to restore the immune functions of myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment. BI 770371 is being tested in a Phase Ib trial.34–36

Sarah Cannon Research Institute

We have formed a strategic collaboration with the Sarah Cannon Research Institute to study ezabenlimab, a PD-1-targeting mAb for the combination treatment of various cancers, including NSCLC.37

Zai Lab

We are collaborating with Zai Lab to evaluate a DLL3‑targeting T‑cell engager and ADC combination in patients with small cell lung cancer and other neuroendocrine carcinomas.38

You may also be interested in...

  1. Boehringer Ingelheim. Boehringer Ingelheim and 3T Biosciences Join Forces to Develop Next-Generation Cancer Immunotherapies. https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/human-health/cancer/research-collaborations/new-cancer-therapeutics-collaboration-3t-bio (Accessed: October 2026).

  2. AACR. Cancer Discov 2020;10(2):OF2.

  3. Broad Institute. Cancer Dependency Map Consortium accelerates research into tumor vulnerabilities. https://www.broadinstitute.org/news/cancer-dependency-map-consortium-accelerates-research-tumor-vulnerabilities (Accessed: October 2026).

  4. Cancer Research UK Manchester. Leading cancer research Institute partner with Boehringer Ingelheim to advance the translational science for development of innovative new lung and colorectal cancer therapeutics. https://www.cancerresearchhorizons.com/news/leading-cancer-research-institute-partner-boehringer-ingelheim-advance-translational-science (Accessed: October 2026).

  5. Boehringer Ingelheim. Boehringer Ingelheim and CBmed join forces to translate novel cancer therapy approaches faster into new medicines for patients. https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/partnering/human-health-partnering/accelerating-new-cancer-medicines-partnership-cbmed (Accessed: October 2026).

  6. CheckmAb. CheckmAb and Boehringer Ingelheim Collaborate to Develop Novel Immunotherapy for Cancer Patients. https://www.checkmab.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Press-release-23.03.2023_EN.pdf (Accessed: October 2026).

  7. Boehringer Ingelheim. Boehringer Ingelheim and Circle Pharma announce new research collaboration to develop a novel precision cancer treatment. https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/us/boehringer-ingelheim-collaborates-circle-pharma (Accessed: October 2026).

  8. University of Dundee. Boehringer Ingelheim and University of Dundee highlight successful PROTAC drug discovery program. https://www.dundee.ac.uk/press-release/boehringer-ingelheim-and-university-dundee-highlight-successful-protac-drug-discovery (Accessed: October 2026).

  9. Enara Bio. Boehringer Ingelheim and Enara Bio enter Strategic Collaboration and Licensing Agreement to discover novel shared antigens for cancer immunotherapies. https://enarabio.com/news/boehringer-ingelheim-and-enara-bio-enter-strategic-collaboration-and-licensing-agreement-to-discover-novel-shared-antigens-for-cancer-immunotherapies (Accessed: October 2026).

  10. Boehringer Ingelheim.  Boehringer Ingelheim and IBM collaborate to advance generative AI and foundation models for therapeutic antibody development. https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/science-innovation/human-health-innovation/partnership-ibm-accelerate-new-antibody-therapies (Accessed: October 2026).

  11. Grisham J. Potential Drug Shows Promise Targeting a Range of KRAS-Driven Cancers in the Lab. https://www.mskcc.org/news/potential-drug-shows-promise-targeting-range-of-kras-driven-cancers-in-lab (Accessed: October 2026).

  12. Nawrat A. Numab and Boehringer Ingelheim partner on multi-specific antibody therapies. https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/features/numab-boehringer-antibody (Accessed: October 2026).

  13. BusinessWire. Boehringer Ingelheim and Oxford BioTherapeutics Expand Collaboration to Discover Novel Selective Tumor Targets as First Bispecific Antibody Advanced into the Clinic. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201014005517/en/Boehringer-Ingelheim-and-Oxford-BioTherapeutics-Expand-Collaboration-to-Discover-Novel-Selective-Tumor-Targets-as-First-Bispecific-Antibody-Advanced-into-the-Clinic (Accessed: October 2026).

  14. Business Wire. Boehringer Ingelheim strengthens early science portfolio through comprehensive multifaceted partnership with Peking University. https://kommunikasjon.ntb.no/pressemelding/15164825/boehringer-ingelheim-strengthens-early-science-portfolio-through-comprehensive-multifaceted-partnership-with-peking-university?publisherId=90063 (Accessed: October 2026).

  15. BusinessWire. Phenomic Enters Strategic Collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim to Discover Novel Targets for Stroma-Rich Cancer Therapies. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231129546391/en/Phenomic-Enters-Strategic-Collaboration-with-Boehringer-Ingelheim-to-Discover-Novel-Targets-for-Stroma-Rich-Cancer-Therapies (Accessed: October 2026).

  16. Qiagen. QIAGEN receives FDA approval to expand use of EGFR test in lung cancer. https://corporate.qiagen.com/newsroom/press-releases/press-release-details/2018/QIAGEN-receives-FDA-approval-to-expand-use-of-EGFR-test-in-lung-cancer-20180118000000/default.aspx (Accessed: October 2026).

  17. Quantro. QUANTRO Therapeutics extends collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim to address high unmet needs in cancer patients. https://quantro-tx.com/press/boehringer-ingelheim-collaboration-extension (Accessed: October 2026).

  18. Boehringer Ingelheim. Research at the IMP. https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/at/en/science-innovation/human-health-innovation/fostering-science/research-institute-molecular-pathology-imp (Accessed: October 2026).

  19. Boehringer Ingelheim. Boehringer Ingelheim broadens oncology portfolio with license for Synaffix’s ADC technology. https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/us/boehringer-broadens-oncology-portfolio-adc-technology (Accessed: October 2026).

  20. Boehringer Ingelheim. Boehringer Ingelheim and Tessellate Bio partner to develop first-in-class precision treatments for people with hard-to-treat cancers. https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/science-innovation/human-health-innovation/partnership-develop-first-class-alt-cancer-treatments (Accessed: October 2026).

  21. Tokyo University of Science. Study Unravels Pathophysiological Role of Dectin-1 in Promoting Colorectal Cancer. https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/mediarelations/archive/20230410_7315.html (Accessed: October 2026).

  22. Business Wire. Boehringer Ingelheim Enters Discovery Stage Collaboration with Trutino Biosciences to Grow Its Cancer Immunology Portfolio with Novel Cytokine Platform.  https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200227005580/en/Boehringer-Ingelheim-Enters-Discovery-Stage-Collaboration-with-Trutino-Biosciences-to-Grow-Its-Cancer-Immunology-Portfolio-with-Novel-Cytokine-Platform (Accessed: October 2026).

  23. ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT05708599. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05708599 (Accessed: October 2026).

  24. University of Pennsylvania. Training Opportunities. https://www.vet.upenn.edu/education/research-training-opportunities (Accessed: October 2026).

  25. VantAI. VantAI Forms Research Collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim to Identify Novel Protein Degraders. https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2022/04/20/2425335/0/en/VantAI-Forms-Research-Collaboration-with-Boehringer-Ingelheim-to-Identify-Novel-Protein-Degraders.html (Accessed: October 2026).

  26. WEHI. WEHI and Boehringer Ingelheim partner to develop innovative cancer drugs. https://www.wehi.edu.au/news/wehi-and-boehringer-ingelheim-partner-develop-innovative-cancer-drugs/ (Accessed: October 2026).

  27. Boehringer Ingelheim. Boehringer Ingelheim advances cancer antibody-drug conjugate portfolio with asset from AimedBio. https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/science-innovation/human-health-innovation/new-partnership-helps-advance-our-cancer-adcs-portfolio (Accessed: October 2026).

  28. Boehringer Ingelheim. Boehringer Ingelheim to evaluate innovative combination of DLL3‑targeting T‑cell engager plus PD‑L1/VEGF‑A bispecific antibody in small cell lung cancer. https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/science-innovation/human-health-innovation/boehringer-biontech-partnership-advance-sclc-therapy (Accessed: October 2026).

  29. iCAN. iCAN flagship partnership in precision cancer medicine launched. https://ican.fi/news-events/ican-flagship-partnership-in-precision-cancer-medicine-launched/ (Accessed: October 2026).

  30. Cancer Institute Hospital. https://www.jfcr.or.jp/hospital/information/general/8707.html (Accessed: October 2026).

  31. Staines R. Boehringer and MD Anderson extend KRAS cancer collaboration. https://pharmaphorum.com/news/boehringer-and-md-anderson-extend-kras-cancer-collaboration (Accessed: October 2026).

  32. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News. Boehringer Ingelheim Establishes Ubiquitin Biology Research Alliance. https://www.genengnews.com/news/boehringer-ingelheim-establishes-ubiquitin-biology-research-alliance/ (Accessed: October 2026).

  33. National Cancer Center, Japan. National Cancer Center and Boehringer Ingelheim Japan Sign Comprehensive Collaboration Agreement to Advance Clinical Development in Oncology [trans]. https://www.ncc.go.jp/jp/information/pr_release/2017/0711/press_release_20170711.pdf (Accessed: October 2026).

  34. OSE Immunotherapeutics. OSE Immunotherapeutics Announces First Clinical Results for BI 770371, a Novel Anti-SIRPα Monoclonal Antibody. https://www.ose-immuno.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/EN_231023_ESMO-BI-1.pdf (Accessed: October 2026).

  35. Barclay AN & Brown MH. Nat Rev Immunol 2006;6(6):457–464.

  36. Boehringer Ingelheim. Boehringer Ingelheim and OSE Immunotherapeutics advance clinical development of first-in-class SIRPα cancer immunology treatment BI 770371. https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/science-innovation/human-health-innovation/boehringer-ingelheim-advances-sirp-immune-oncology (Accessed: October 2026).

  37. Patel MR, et al. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2024;73(5):89.

  38. Boehringer Ingelheim. Boehringer Ingelheim and Zai Lab announce collaboration on DLL3‑targeting T‑Cell Engager and ADC combination in Small Cell Lung Cancer and other Neuroendocrine Carcinomas. https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/science-innovation/human-health-innovation/boehringer-ingelheim-and-zai-lab-announce-collaboration-dll3-targeting-t-cell-engager-and-adc (Accessed: October 2026).

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