Boehringer Ingelheim and Enara Bio Enter Strategic Collaboration and Licensing Agreement to Discover Novel Shared Antigens for Cancer Immunotherapies
Boehringer Ingelheim and Enara Bio, today announced that they have entered into a strategic collaboration and licensing agreement to research and develop novel targeted cancer immunotherapies, leveraging Enara Bio’s Dark Antigen™ discovery platform. This new collaboration combines Boehringer Ingelheim’s approach to tackle cancer through pairing leading science with innovative immune-oncology platforms, such as oncolytic viruses and cancer vaccines, with Enara Bio’s expertise in cancer antigen identification. The aim is to provide potential new therapies for patients with difficult to treat lung and gastrointestinal cancers.
“We are excited to partner with Enara Bio as part of our mission to bring transformative new treatments to cancer patients,” said Jonathon Sedgwick, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Global Head, Cancer Immunology & Immune Modulation Research, Boehringer Ingelheim. “We are advancing a unique pipeline of cancer cell-directed agents, immuno-oncology therapies and intelligent combination approaches to help combat cancer. Enara Bio’s unique discovery platform offers a novel and highly differentiated approach that will allow us to look beyond the known proteome to identify and characterize Dark Antigens to support the development of T-Cell Receptor (TCR)-directed immunotherapies and therapeutic vaccines. We believe this is a highly innovative and promising approach to the development of the next wave of cancer immunotherapies.”
Enara Bio’s proprietary Dark Antigen Platform Technology (EDAPT™) will be used to discover and validate novel Dark Antigens in up to three tumor types in the lung and gastrointestinal cancer space. The discovery of shared antigens could lead to the development of vaccines that can be readily utilized to help a broader group of cancer patients.
Dark Antigens represent a new class of cancer-associated antigens that derive from the genomic dark matter, or the portion of the human genome that is normally not expressed as protein. Dark Antigen-encoding sequences are usually silenced in healthy cells but are activated and presented on tumor cells. They are associated with specific cancer types and, importantly, are shared across patients. Since typically not visible to the immune system, they represent a large potential repertoire of novel antigens that can be developed as targets for new immunotherapies.
“We are extremely pleased to enter this strategic licensing agreement, our first major deal leveraging our pioneering Dark Antigen discovery and validation capabilities,” said Kevin Pojasek, President and CEO of Enara Bio. “Boehringer Ingelheim is an innovation-led company dedicated to producing breakthrough treatments with a significant focus on cancer. We are excited to build this relationship and are encouraged that Boehringer Ingelheim shares our view of the potential of Dark Antigens to be a source of important and unconventional targets for novel cancer immunotherapies. This agreement provides strong validation for our science and our approach to exploiting the cancer-associated antigenic repertoire derived from genomic dark matter and we look forward to a productive collaboration.”
This collaboration with Enara Bio is the latest of several strategic partnerships and acquisitions for Boehringer Ingelheim to build its cancer vaccine platform and provides important validation for Enara Bio’s Dark Antigen platform. The past acquisitions of ViraTherapeutics and AMAL Therapeutics’ vaccine modalities coupled with Enara Bio’s capabilities position Boehringer Ingelheim to develop sophisticated virus and vaccine modalities for its prime/boost vaccine platform.
Under the agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim has the option to license Dark Antigens discovered and validated by Enara Bio. Boehringer Ingelheim will also be responsible for all non-clinical and clinical development, as well as commercialization of associated cancer immunotherapies, including therapeutic vaccines and T-cell redirecting biologics. Enara Bio retains rights to use any discovered antigens for use in cell therapy-based products.
Enara Bio is eligible to receive an upfront payment, together with research/preclinical milestones and licensing fees for each tumor type that is explored. Enara Bio is also eligible to receive more than EUR 876 million in clinical, regulatory and commercial milestones, in addition to royalties on future product sales.
Please click on the following link for ‘Notes to Editors’:
http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/strategic-collaboration-enarabio
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210112005444/en/
Contact information
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
Senior Associate Director, Media and Corporate Reputation
Boehringer Ingelheim U.S.
Media + PR
P: 203-791-6672
press@boehringer-ingelheim.com
Enara Bio
Enara Bio Limited
Kevin Pojasek, CEO
P: +44(0)1865 504 994
info@enarabio.com
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Mark Swallow, Frazer Hall, Nathaniel Dahan
P: +44 (0)20 7638 9571
enarabio@citigatedewerogerson.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Euromonitor International unveils Global Consumer Trends for 20265.11.2025 15:00:00 EET | Press release
Data analytics company Euromonitor International has today revealed its top Global Consumer Trends for 2026, with the annual report identifying four global trends that highlight crucial shifts in consumer behaviour. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251105486775/en/ Euromonitor International Global Consumer Trends 2026 In a reality shaped by cost of living, authenticity and wellbeing expectations, these trends are at the core of consumer behaviour worldwide. Alison Angus, head of innovation at Euromonitor International, said: “The future of consumer behaviour is characterised by a desire for comfort, self-expression and cutting-edge wellness solutions, driven by the need for authenticity and simplicity in an increasingly complex world.” Euromonitor’s top Global Consumer Trends in 2026 are: Comfort Zone: Consumers are seeking comfort and simplicity amid global volatility, with 58% experiencing moderate to extreme
Merz Aesthetics ® Announces New Arms and Abdomen* Indication for Ultherapy PRIME, the Only Ultrasound Solution With Integrated Real-Time Visualization5.11.2025 15:00:00 EET | Press release
Merz Aesthetics, the world’s largest dedicated medical aesthetics business, announced today the upcoming availability of UltherapyPRIMEto improve the appearance of skin laxity on the anterior arms and posterior arms, and abdomen. Ultherapy PRIME is the only solution with integrated real-time visualization to treat the upper face, lower face, neck, décolleté, and now the body*.1 The new indications will launch in the United States before expanding to markets worldwide, with commercial rollout in EMEA planned for early 2026.** We are excited to share updates with our customers soon and look forward to supporting practices and patients with these innovative solutions. “This indication expansion is proof of our incredible momentum, following last year’s successful Ultherapy PRIME launch,” said Bob Rhatigan, CEO, Merz Aesthetics. “By extending our reach from face*** to body*, we’re unlocking new treatment possibilities, meeting rising patient demand, and reinforcing our leadership in non-in
Registrar Corp Acquires CMC Medical Devices to Make Global Compliance Quick and Easy5.11.2025 14:00:00 EET | Press release
Registrar Corp, a global leader in regulatory compliance and technology solutions and a Paine Schwartz Partners portfolio company, today announced the acquisition of CMC Medical Devices (CMC), a Spain-based provider of medical device regulatory, clinical, and compliance consulting services. The combination of Registrar Corp’s global network and CMC’s clinical and technical expertise creates a unified partner to help medical device and in vitro diagnostic (IVD) manufacturers bring products to market faster and with greater confidence. “We’re proud to welcome CMC Medical Devices to the Registrar Corp family,” said Raj Shah, CEO of Registrar Corp. “Together, we offer medical device manufacturers a single partner to navigate complex regulations and access the U.S., EU, and other key global markets—so they can focus on innovation rather than compliance.” “Joining Registrar Corp enables us to deliver even greater value to our clients,” said Manuel Mateos, CEO of CMC Medical Devices. “Our sha
Macrobond Selected by T. Rowe Price to Support Evolving Research and Investment Workflows5.11.2025 14:00:00 EET | Press release
Macrobond, the global platform for macroeconomic and financial data, has been selected by T. Rowe Price to support the continued evolution of its cross-asset research and systematic strategy workflows. As financial institutions look to strengthen data-driven decision-making, the need for scalable technology and integrated platforms has never been more critical. T. Rowe Price’s decision to implement Macrobond reflects a broader commitment to enhancing research workflows with modern, flexible solutions built for the pace and complexity of today’s investment landscape. Meeting the Demands of a Dynamic Environment The ability to integrate complex data sets, streamline analysis, and support automation were key factors in the selection process. Macrobond’s API and flexible data infrastructure provided a strong foundation for collaboration. “T. Rowe Price is continually investing in technology to improve the efficiency and quality of our research processes,” said Tae Kim, Head of Fixed Income
Cybersecurity Leader Armis Closes $435 Million Round at $6.1 Billion Valuation5.11.2025 14:00:00 EET | Press release
Armis, the cyber exposure management and security company, today announced a pre-IPO funding round of $435 million, bringing the company’s valuation to $6.1 billion. The round was led by Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives with major participation from CapitalG, and was joined by new investor Evolution Equity Partners, alongside several existing investors. The investment round comes amid continued growth, with the company recently surpassing $300 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), growing over 50%. Armis has worked with over 40% of the Fortune 100, including 7 of the Fortune 10, and helps protect leading organizations around the globe, including manufacturers, airlines, financial services firms, healthcare institutions, and state and federal agencies. Yevgeny Dibrov, CEO and Co-Founder of Armis: “This round marks another defining moment in our journey to build a category-defining cybersecurity company. Our growth proves that organizations are embracing a unified, exposu
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom