Boehringer Ingelheim and The Lieber Institute for Brain Development to Collaborate to Develop Centrally Acting COMT Inhibitors for Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Boehringer Ingelheim and the Lieber Institute for Brain Development (LIBD) today announced a joint research and licensing collaboration focused on the development of novel centrally acting COMT (catechol-O-methyltransferase) inhibitors for the potential treatment of cognitive deficits in a spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. Aligning with a circuitry-based approach to precision psychiatry, the collaboration will leverage Boehringer Ingelheim’s deep experience in central nervous system (CNS) drug discovery and development alongside Lieber’s expertise in centrally acting COMT inhibitors. Ultimately, the partnership will focus on advancing novel COMT inhibitor candidates into the clinic.
“Psychiatric disorders including cognitive impairment in schizophrenia have historically been difficult indications to treat and continue to remain areas of high unmet need. This collaboration with the Lieber Institute further expands our innovative neuropsychiatric research program, a key focus area at Boehringer Ingelheim, with a first-in-class mechanism that may have the potential to address these symptoms,” said Dr. Hugh Marston, Ph.D., Head of Department CNS Diseases Research at Boehringer Ingelheim. “By combining our expertise, we hope to make significant steps forward to finding solutions for patients for which there currently is no treatment.”
COMT, a dopamine metabolizing enzyme, is key to the modulation of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of the brain. Adequate function of dopamine signaling is critical for a number of cognitive and behavioral processes that are impaired in a variety of neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders such as schizophrenia. While peripherally acting COMT inhibitors are currently used as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, this new collaboration is investigating centrally acting COMT inhibitors in neuropsychiatric disorders.
Recent studies from the Lieber Institute suggest an important role of centrally acting COMT inhibitors in the potential symptomatic treatment of various neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. The potential of centrally acting COMT inhibitors has not yet been evaluated in the clinic due to the unavailability of such compounds. In partnering with the Lieber Institute, Boehringer Ingelheim has in-licensed preclinical pipeline candidates, representing a first-in-class approach for targets in neuropsychiatric disorders.
“The Lieber Institute has a long-standing effort exploring centrally acting COMT inhibitors as part of its mission to understand the genetic and molecular mechanisms of schizophrenia and related brain disorders,” said Daniel R. Weinberger, M.D., LIBD CEO & Director. “We are excited to embark on this partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim to identify potential therapeutic candidates and advance them to clinical development in order to help improve the lives of those affected by this serious mental health condition.”
Financial details of the collaboration were not disclosed.
Please click on the following link for ‘Notes to Editors’:
http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/collaboration-libd
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/20210316005641/en/
Contact information
Media Contacts
Sarah Soetbeer
Boehringer Ingelheim Corporate Center GmbH
Media + PR
P: +49 6132 77 183874
press@boehringer-ingelheim.com
Linda Ruckel
Associate Director, Media and Corporate Reputation
Boehringer Ingelheim U.S.
Media + PR
P: +1 203-791-6672
press@boehringer-ingelheim.com
Jean DuBose
Lieber Institute for Brian Development
media@libd.org
P: +1 443-676-4363
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
Axelspace: Notice of Signing a Service contract for In-Orbit Demonstration with Pale Blue, Inc.22.12.2025 11:00:00 EET | Press release
Axelspace Corporation (“Axelspace”), a leading microsatellite company committed to making “Space within Your Reach,” has entered into a service agreement with Pale Blue Inc. (“Pale Blue”), a company that develops, manufactures, and sells thrusters (engines) for small satellites, for an in-orbit demonstration, as detailed below. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251219321165/en/ Jun Asakawa, Co-founder & CEO of Pale Blue (left in photo) and Yuya Nakamura, President and CEO of Axelspace Axelspace provides AxelLiner Laboratory (AL Lab), a new service originating from the AxelLiner business that is specialized in in-orbit demonstration of space components. Under this contract, an in-orbit demonstration of a fast-start Hall thruster developed by Pale Blue is scheduled to be conducted in 2027. Nonetheless, conducting in-orbit demonstrations in a short period of time is known to be a significant challenge due to the in
Axelspace Signing Agreement on a Multi-Launch Arrangement and the Launch of New Satellites with Exolaunch22.12.2025 11:00:00 EET | Press release
Axelspace Corporation (“Axelspace”), a leading microsatellite company committed to making “Space within Your Reach,” is pleased to announce a multi-launch agreement (MLA) with Exolaunch, a global launch integrator and leader in launch mission management, satellite integration and satellite deployment technologies. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251219038364/en/ The Multi-Launch Agreement will accelerate the growth of Axelspace. In particular, one satellite scheduled for launch under the new Agreement will be used in the AxelLiner business’s in-orbit demonstration service, “AxelLiner Laboratory”. Exolaunch has already secured launches for eight (8) Axelspace’s satellites on the upcoming missions. Axelspace provides AxelLiner Laboratory (AL Lab), a new service originating from the AxelLiner business that is specialized in in-orbit demonstration of space components. Nonetheless, conducting in-orbit demonstration
Zambon Biotech Announces First Patient Dosed in Phase 3b ADIP Clinical Study of IPX203 in Parkinson’s Disease22.12.2025 11:00:00 EET | Press release
Zambon Biotech, a specialized biotech company part of the Zambon group that aims to build a scientifically robust and commercially viable portfolio of innovative patient-oriented drugs through the scouting, acquisition, licensing and development of new molecules, today announced that the first participant with advanced Parkinson’s disease has been enrolled in the European Phase 3b ADIP (IPX203 in Advanced Parkinson’s disease) study, which is planned to evaluate the efficacy and safety of IPX203 versus immediate-release (IR) levodopa/carbidopa (LD/CD) in a regimen which has not yet been the focus of a Phase 3 trial. IPX203 is a novel, oral modified-release formulation of LD/CD designed for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, the fastest growing neurological condition in the world according to the World Health Organization1. IPX203 contains immediate-release granules and extended-release beads, providing both a rapid onset of action and a longer duration of benefit, sustaining the levo
Pimicotinib Approved as Systemic Treatment in China for Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor22.12.2025 10:00:00 EET | Press release
Merck, a leading science and technology company, announced today that following Priority Review, the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved pimicotinib for the treatment of adult patients with symptomatic tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT) for which surgical resection will potentially cause functional limitation or relatively severe morbidity. Pimicotinib, a colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R) inhibitor developed by Abbisko Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China, is the first Chemical Drug Class 1 approved in China for the treatment of TGCT. “We are continuing to deliver on our commitment to improving the lives of patients with rare tumors with this first-in-the-world regulatory approval of pimicotinib,” said Danny Bar-Zohar, CEO Healthcare and Member of the Executive Board of Merck. “This approval is a significant step forward in further strengthening our leadership in rare tumors, while offering patients the opportunity to change the course of
Incyte Japan Announces Approval of Minjuvi ® (tafasitamab) in Combination with Rituximab and Lenalidomide for the Treatment of Relapsed or Refractory Follicular Lymphoma22.12.2025 09:44:00 EET | Press release
Incyte Biosciences Japan G.K. today announced approval from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) for Minjuvi® (tafasitamab) in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide for adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (2L+ FL). “Today's approval of Minjuvi in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide marks a significant milestone as the first dual-targeted CD19 and CD20 immunotherapy combination for relapsed or refractory FL in Japan,” said Yasuyuki Ishida, General Manager, Incyte Biosciences Japan. “By improving progression-free survival, Minjuvi offers a chemotherapy-free option for eligible patients with relapsed or refractory disease. This approval underscores our commitment to bridging critical treatment gaps to patients and families affected by this challenging disease in Japan.” The approval is based on the pivotal Phase 3 inMIND trial, which enrolled 654 adult patients, including patients based in Japan. The study demonstrated that Minjuvi
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