Boehringer Ingelheim acquires Swiss biotech company AMAL Therapeutics

Boehringer Ingelheim acquisition of AMAL Therapeutics : German pharma company Boehringer Ingelheim has acquired Swiss biotech company AMAL Therapeutics for up to EUR325 million, as per the latest pharma acquisition news.

AMAL Therapeutics, which was spun out from the University of Geneva in 2012, is focused on cancer immunotherapy and is engaged in advancing therapeutic cancer vaccines derived from its KISIMA platform.

The lead vaccine of the Swiss biotech company is ATP128, which is being developed for stage IV colorectal cancer, and is scheduled to enter into first-in-human clinical trials later this month.

Boehringer Ingelheim acquisition of AMAL Therapeutics. Photo courtesy of Madras150/Wikimedia Commons.

Boehringer Ingelheim acquisition of AMAL Therapeutics

Boehringer Ingelheim said that it intends to develop new therapies by combining assets from its cancer immunology portfolio with AMAL’s KISIMA immunization platform.

The German pharma company believes that the KISIMA vaccine technology, which is designed to stimulate potent immune responses, is a potential therapeutic option for patients with non-inflamed, “cold” tumors.

Boehringer Ingelheim further said that the acquisition of the Swiss biotech company, along with that of Vira Therapeutics (Vira-T) made in 2018 and in-license of SIRP-alpha targeting antibody from OSE Immunotherapeutics significantly consolidates its focus on immune cell-directed therapies.

Commenting on Boehringer Ingelheim acquisition of AMAL Therapeutics, Michel Pairet – member of Boehringer Ingelheim Board of Managing Directors, said: “Acquiring AMAL is part of Boehringer Ingelheim’s long-term strategy to enhance our existing position as an innovator of novel cancer therapies, including immuno-oncology treatments, which leverage cutting-edge scientific discoveries and their applications.

“We want to pioneer new paradigms of biology-based care for cancer patients, and the technologies and expertise developed at AMAL are critical to our efforts.”

The total consideration for Boehringer Ingelheim acquisition of AMAL Therapeutics includes an upfront payment and also contingent clinical, development and regulatory milestones plus up to EUR100 million based on the meeting of certain commercial milestones.

Madiha Derouazi – Founder and CEO of AMAL Therapeutics, commenting on Boehringer Ingelheim acquisition of AMAL Therapeutics, said: “I am extremely proud of the hard work of AMAL’s entire team, which is validated by this acquisition, and very excited to further develop the KISIMA technology platform within Boehringer Ingelheim.

“Our new relationship with Boehringer Ingelheim will enable us to realize the full potential of our KISIMA platform to fight solid cancers while preserving AMAL’s approach to biotechnology research and our scientific and academic networks. Moreover, sharing resources and capabilities in clinical development will greatly help us to move ATP128 and other assets forward.”

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