Boehringer Ingelheim to Acquire Labor Dr. Merk & Kollegen to Strengthen its Next Generation Cancer Immunology Program
9.12.2020 12:00:00 EET | Business Wire | Press release
Boehringer Ingelheim today announced the execution of the agreement on the acquisition of Labor Dr. Merk & Kollegen. The acquisition will enable Boehringer Ingelheim to further expand and accelerate its comprehensive program for the development of ATMP-based immuno-oncology therapies including the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) with modified glycoprotein (GP) platform and cancer vaccines platforms. Labor Dr. Merk & Kollegen has outstanding experience in process development, manufacturing and analytical characterization in virology besides expertise in microbiology and cell culture. Labor Dr. Merk & Kollegen has already worked in close collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim on viral-based therapy development since 2015.
“The acquisition of Labor Dr. Merk & Kollegen is strengthening our promising pipeline with diverse potential first-in-class cancer immunology and cancer cell directed therapies for patients with hard-to-treat cancer,” said Dr. Michel Pairet, member of Boehringer Ingelheim’s Board of Managing Directors with responsibility for the company’s Innovation Unit. “The trusting and highly effective collaboration between our scientists and the Labor Dr. Merk & Kollegen team has already contributed significantly to our progress in viral-based cancer therapies. We will welcome the Labor Dr. Merk & Kollegen team and look forward to jointly advancing our program in this area.”
Boehringer Ingelheim is taking cancer on by strengthening its position in cancer immunology, with a focus on cancer vaccines, oncolytic viruses, T-cell engagers, stromal modulators and myeloid cell modulators by combining its world-class, in-house research and development with that of highly innovative external companies. The addition of Labor Dr. Merk & Kollegen’s site will enable Boehringer Ingelheim to further strengthen its oncolytic virus and cancer vaccine development capabilities and capacities by establishing an end-to-end fully integrated center of excellence for virus development and clinical manufacturing. It will add to a series of strategic acquisitions and collaborations over the past years, including the acquisition of ViraTherapeutics and AMAL Therapeutics, which are contributing assets that will be further developed at Labor Dr. Merk & Kollegen’s site.
Labor Dr. Merk & Kollegen is a privately-held company founded in 1971. It is headquartered in Ochsenhausen, Germany, close to Boehringer Ingelheim’s Biberach R&D site. As a center of excellence in virology, Labor Dr. Merk & Kollegen has a long track record in GLP and GMP certified biosafety testing. In recent years Labor Dr. Merk & Kollegen established its GMP-virus manufacturing facility. With around 130 highly qualified and specialized employees, the company has built considerable expertise in process development, manufacturing and analytical characterization of viral therapeutics and oncolytic viral therapeutics. Labor Dr. Merk & Kollegen will be integrated with all employees as a new unit into Boehringer Ingelheim’s Development organization and continue to operate at its Ochsenhausen site. A future expansion is planned.
“Following our successful strategic partnership, we are really excited to join forces with Boehringer Ingelheim,” said Dr. Ingrid Rapp, CEO at Labor Dr. Merk & Kollegen. “Boehringer Ingelheim is a truly global pharmaceutical company with excellent R&D capacities. We look forward to taking our next development step in oncology as part of this outstanding team.”
The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the deal. The transaction is subject to the approval of the competition authorities in Germany. Closing will follow thereafter.
Please click on the following link for ‘Notes to Editors’:
http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/agreement-acquire-labor-dr-merk
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/20201209005383/en/
Contact information
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
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
Peter Rauch Named President of Mountain Hardwear11.9.2026 02:00:00 EEST | Press release
Columbia Sportswear Company (Nasdaq: COLM), a leading innovator in active outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment, today announced that Peter Rauch will be the new President of the Mountain Hardwear brand. Mountain Hardwear's mission is to encourage and equip people to seek wilder paths. With over 30 years of wild wisdom, Mountain Hardwear continues to offer premium technical apparel, accessories and equipment products for climbers, mountaineers, skiers, snowboarders, and trail athletes. Troy Sicotte will transition to a new role as Global Vice President, Sales for Mountain Hardwear. Mr. Rauch transitions from his current role as General Manager of Columbia Brand North America and brings nearly 20 years of leadership experience across the Columbia family of brands, deep industry knowledge and a genuine passion for the outdoors. "Throughout his career, Peter has built strong cross-functional partnerships, developed high-performing teams, and delivered meaningful business re
CORRECTING and REPLACING Netskrt to Showcase Media Over QUIC Work with Oracle at IBC 202611.9.2026 00:45:00 EEST | Press release
Please replace paragraphs 8 and 10 with the new paragraphs. The updated release reads: NETSKRT TO SHOWCASE MEDIA OVER QUIC WORK WITH ORACLE AT IBC 2026 Netskrt and Oracle to demonstrate end-to-end MOQ delivery and discuss the future of low-latency live streaming Netskrt, an independent content delivery network built for high-concurrency streaming events, today announced that it will showcase its work to advance Media Over QUIC (MOQ) at IBC 2026, taking place Sept. 11-14 at RAI Amsterdam. As part of the event, Netskrt will demonstrate with Oracle how independently operated CDN infrastructure can participate in a coordinated MOQ delivery path designed to bring live media closer to viewers. MOQ is an emerging IETF effort designed to support low-latency media delivery at scale, with live streaming among its primary use cases. Its relay-based architecture enables media to move through distributed infrastructure closer to audiences, creating new possibilities for reducing latency while effic
Rajant and Nokia Announce Collaboration to Deliver Integrated Networking Technology and Distributed Edge AI Platform for Mission-Critical Enterprises10.9.2026 21:28:00 EEST | Press release
Rajant Corporation and Nokia announce a collaboration to integrate Rajant’s Kinetic Mesh® networking technology and Cowbell distributed computing AI platform with the Nokia Cognitive Operations platform, a ruggedized multi-access edge AI platform for mission-critical operations. This collaboration will deliver unique benefits to unify mission-critical connectivity, distributed edge intelligence, and cognitive operational capabilities for mining, ports, public safety, oil and gas, defense, and other industrial sectors operating in demanding environments. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260910577329/en/ Rajant Kinetic Mesh® + Rajant Health Cowbell distributed edge AI platform bring resilient connectivity and intelligence to mission-critical operations. “By collaborating with Rajant, Nokia is bringing together our Cognitive Operations platform with proven Kinetic Mesh networking to deliver resilient, intelligent
The LYCRA Company Makes NSC Safety Congress & Expo Debut10.9.2026 20:45:00 EEST | Press release
The LYCRA Company, a global leader in developing fiber and technology solutions for the apparel and personal care industries, today announced its inaugural exhibition at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo, being held September 14-16 in Indianapolis. The company also marks the North American debut of its “FIBERS THATWORK” portfolio of innovative solutions for workwear, uniforms, and protective apparel. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260910402207/en/ The LYCRA Company will debut its FIBERS THAT WORK portfolio at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo in Indianapolis, highlighting fiber technologies engineered to enhance comfort, durability, visibility, and protection in workwear and protective apparel. "Comfort is fundamental to workwear performance," said Tara Maurer-Mackay, product category director, branded specialty products at The LYCRA Company. "Our innovations help workers adapt to changing conditions throughout the
Turning Up the Heat: ProAmpac Helps Power Circle K’s Flamin’ Hot ® Boneless Chicken Wings Launch10.9.2026 19:12:00 EEST | Press release
ProAmpac, a global leader in flexible packaging and material science, is proud to announce its role in supporting Circle K's launch of Flamin' Hot® Boneless Chicken Wings, created in partnership with PepsiCo/Frito-Lay. Designed to address key challenges in hot food packaging, ProAmpac's custom fiber-based tray helps maintain food quality, improve shelf appeal, and enhance the consumer experience. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260910495607/en/ Flamin' Hot Chicken Bites Circle K sought a better way to merchandise its Flamin’ Hot® Boneless Chicken Wings while addressing several performance challenges, including heat retention, moisture loss, and grease resistance, while extending hot hold time. ProAmpac responded with a custom tray designed specifically for the recipe and portion size, demonstrating its flexibility in meeting unique customer design and performance requirements. Working from PepsiCo’s initial br
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