Boehringer Ingelheim has announced its acquisition of all shares of AMAL Therapeutics, a private Swiss biotechnology company focused on cancer immunotherapy and advancing first-in-class therapeutic cancer vaccines derived from its technology platform KISIMA.
AMAL’s lead vaccine, ATP128, is currently being developed for stage IV colorectal cancer and is slated to begin first-in-human trials later this month.
Boehringer Ingelheim plans to develop new therapies by combining assets from its cancer immunology portfolio with AMAL’s proprietary KISIMA immunisation platform.
“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,” said Michel Pairet, member of Boehringer Ingelheim’s board of managing directors with responsibility for the company’s Innovation Unit.
“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 transaction could amount to €325m and comprises an upfront payment as well as contingent clinical, development and regulatory milestones — plus up to €100m if certain commercial milestones are hit. “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,” said Madiha Derouazi, PhD, founder and Chief Executive Officer of AMAL Therapeutics.
“Our new relationship with Boehringer Ingelheim will enable us to realise 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.”
