Boehringer Ingelheim and MD Anderson Expand Collaboration to Accelerate Development of KRAS and TRAILR2 Compounds in Lung Cancer
14.4.2021 16:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Boehringer Ingelheim and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center today announced the extension and expansion of their joint Virtual Research and Development Center (VRDC) to explore new molecules from Boehringer Ingelheim’s KRAS (Kirsten rat sarcoma) and TRAILR2 (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor 2) portfolios for the potential treatment of lung cancer, particularly non-small cell lung cancer.
The collaboration, launched in 2019, has successfully combined MD Anderson’s innovative clinical research infrastructure and the patient-driven drug development capabilities of the Therapeutics Discovery division with Boehringer Ingelheim’s pipeline of innovative cancer medicines and expertise in advancing breakthrough therapies. Under the new agreement, joint research will continue for five additional years.
“Our collaboration with MD Anderson strengthens our determination to find solutions for the most difficult-to-treat cancers, and this latest commitment marks an important step forward, especially in our holistic KRAS program,” said Norbert Kraut, Ph.D., Head of Global Cancer Research at Boehringer Ingelheim. “We are delighted to extend our collaboration with MD Anderson. With our shared dedication to patients and like-minded approach to innovation, we have the potential to bring the medicines to lung and gastrointestinal cancer patients that they so much need.”
The flexible nature of the VRDC agreement allows the teams to expand their lung cancer indication programs targeting KRAS and TRAILR2, including Boehringer Ingelheim’s first-in-class SOS1::pan-KRAS inhibitor (BI 1701963), inhibitors of KRAS G12C (BI 1823911) and MEK (BI 3011441), as well as a novel undisclosed bi-specific TRAILR2 agonist.
The collaboration already has resulted in a number of joint publications, conference presentations (including at the 2021 AACR Annual Meeting) and clinical trial activities. Boehringer Ingelheim is pursuing a comprehensive mutant KRAS-directed effort with multiple programs expected to enter the VRDC with MD Anderson.
“We are proud to expand our work with Boehringer Ingelheim in a very exciting drug-development space – advancing novel targeted therapies against KRAS and TRAILR2,” said Timothy Heffernan, Ph.D., Head of Oncology Research in Therapeutics Discovery at MD Anderson. “Our collaboration is built upon a strong working relationship and complementary expertise, highlighting how an academic center and a pharmaceutical company can strategically work together to advance innovative therapies for patients with cancer.”
MD Anderson’s Therapeutics Discovery division is anchored by an experienced team of drug development experts working to advance the next generation of cancer therapies. The Translational Research to Advance Therapeutics and Innovation in Oncology (TRACTION) platform, led by Heffernan, performs cutting-edge translational research to rapidly advance new therapies to the patients most likely to benefit.
KRAS is the most frequently mutated cancer-causing oncogene. One in seven of all human metastatic cancers expresses KRAS mutations, with mutation rates of more than 30 percent in lung adenocarcinomas, more than 40 percent in colorectal cancers and more than 90 percent in pancreatic cancers. No approved treatments for KRAS-driven cancers exist currently, further underscoring the need for continued investment in research and development. Tumor cell-selective activation of TRAILR2 can trigger cancer cell death in indications of high medical need, including lung and gastrointestinal malignancies.
Intended Audiences
This press release is issued from our corporate headquarters in Ingelheim, Germany and is intended to provide information about our global business. Please be aware that information relating to the approval status and labels of approved products may vary from country to country, and a country-specific press release on this topic may have been issued in the countries where we do business.
Disclosures
MD Anderson has an institutional financial conflict of interest with Boehringer Ingelheim related to this research and has therefore implemented an Institutional Conflict of Interest Management and Monitoring Plan.
Please click on the following link for ‘Notes to Editors’ and ‘References’:
http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/expanded-collaboration-md-anderson
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/20210414005484/en/
Contact information
Media Contacts
Sarah Soetbeer
Boehringer Ingelheim Corporate Center GmbH
Communications + Public Affairs
P: +49 (6132) 77-183874
press@boehringer-ingelheim.com
Linda Ruckel
Senior Associate Director, Media and Corporate Reputation
Boehringer Ingelheim U.S.
Media + PR
P: +1 203-791-6672
press@boehringer-ingelheim.com
Clayton Boldt, Ph.D.
Public Relations
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
P: +1 713-792-9518
crboldt@mdanderson.org
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
90% of IT Leaders See Gaps in AI Threat Readiness, Lenovo Brings Single Point of Accountability to Cyber Resiliency30.6.2026 16:00:00 EEST | Press release
As organizations accelerate AI adoption and digital workplace transformation, many are finding that cyber resilience is undermined not by a lack of security tools, but by growing operational complexity and threat sophistication. According to recent research, 90% of IT leaders acknowledge gaps in their ability to defend against AI-driven threats. While security investments continue to grow, many organizations face a different challenge: fragmented accountability. Security operations remain highly distributed and siloed, making it increasingly difficult to coordinate response efforts, maintain end-to-end business continuity, and recover quickly when incidents occur. To help organizations address this challenge, Lenovo is expanding its global Security Services portfolio with a revamped cyber resiliency framework and end-to-end security offerings designed to provide a single point of accountability, help organizations reduce security complexity, cut system downtime by up to 50%, and lower
SC Therapeutics Initiates REACH2 Trial for Refractory Chronic Cough30.6.2026 16:00:00 EEST | Press release
SC Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering therapies that deactivate mechano-sensitive ion channels (MSCs) to treat respiratory and cardiovascular disease, today reports initiation of the REACH2 trial. The study will evaluate the Company's lead product candidate in patients with refractory chronic cough (RCC) – a debilitating condition for which no disease-modifying treatment options currently exist. The trial will be run in three major cough centers across the UK. A Novel, Disease-Modifying Mechanism of Action SC0032, SC Therapeutics' most advanced product candidate, is a proprietary therapeutic aerosol composed entirely of ions endogenous to human airways. Unlike current symptomatic investigational drugs – including P2X3 receptor antagonists and neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor antagonists that seek to dampen neural hypersensitivity through receptor blockade – SC0032’s approach directly addresses the upstream inflammatory drivers of chronic cough. By acting to
Tacton Launches Portfolio Performance Intelligence to Help Manufacturers Understand Why Products Win30.6.2026 16:00:00 EEST | Press release
Tacton, a global leader in Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) solutions for manufacturers of complex products, today announced the launch of Portfolio Performance Intelligence, a new analytics capability designed to help manufacturers understand why products win, where margin is created or lost, and which decisions consistently drive successful business outcomes. Manufacturers don't lack data. They lack the context needed to understand why products perform the way they do and why customers choose them. ERP systems show what was sold, CRM platforms track opportunities, and BI tools visualize trends. But when manufacturers try to understand which customer requirements drive demand, which configurations consistently win, or why margins vary across products, regions or segments, the answers are often unclear. That's because the most important layer of insight–the connection between customer needs, configuration decisions and deal outcomes–only exists within CPQ. “As product complexity increases
Riskified Study: As AI Drives a Summer Travel Boom, Clunky Security and Scam Fears Threaten Merchant Conversions30.6.2026 15:30:00 EEST | Press release
Riskified (NYSE: RSKD), a global leader in ecommerce fraud and risk intelligence, today released findings from global survey conducted ahead of the 2026 Summer Travel season, exploring consumer travel behavior, booking experiences, and trust in digital and AI-enabled travel tools. The survey, conducted among more than 4,000 consumers across the United States, United Kingdom, China, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia, shows strong demand for travel heading into the summer season, alongside continued adoption of digital and AI tools in trip planning. Key findings from the Riskified 2026 Summer Travel Survey include: 81% of consumers use digital platforms for travel planning, with 26% already relying on AI like ChatGPT or Gemini. Leisure remains the dominant purpose of travel at 63%, followed by visiting friends and family (25%), going to live events (7%), and business travel (5%). 47% cite payment security and 39% cite fake or invalid tickets as top concerns when buying tickets online.
Corpay Cross-Border Named the Official Global FX Partner of Fever30.6.2026 15:30:00 EEST | Press release
Corpay, Inc.*, (NYSE: CPAY) a global leader in corporate payments, today announced that its Cross-Border business has entered into an agreement with Fever, a leading global live-entertainment discovery and ticketing platform that specializes in immersive experiences, candlelit concerts, and interactive pop-up events. Under the agreement, Corpay becomes Fever’s exclusive and Official Global Foreign Exchange (FX) Partner. Through this partnership, Fever’s global operations across North America, Mexico, the UK, EMEA, and APAC will be able to leverage Corpay Cross-Border’s innovative solutions to help manage foreign exchange exposure arising from day-to-day business activities. “Fever represents the future of global live entertainment and event ticketing technology, and we are honoured to be named their exclusive and Official FX Partner,” said Brad Loder, Chief Marketing Officer, Corpay Cross-Border Solutions. “This partnership reinforces our position as the leading provider of corporate p
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