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
AGC Pharma Chemicals Validates Facilities for CDMO Services via Scientist.com’s VERIF.i ® Program1.7.2026 14:55:00 EEST | Press release
Scientist.com, the life sciences industry’s leading AI-enabled R&D orchestration platform and digital marketplace, and AGC Pharma Chemicals, a leading global Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) for small molecule API and HPAPI, announced today that AGC has successfully completed an onsite assessment of its new Barcelona facility using the VERIF.i® supplier pre-assessment program. The newly expanded Barcelona site strengthens AGC’s position as a global leader in the development and commercialization of complex small molecule Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and highly potent APIs (HPAPIs). Designed for maximum flexibility, safety, and energy efficiency, the facility expands AGC’s end-to-end capabilities from gram-scale to ton-scale production under the highest quality and sustainability standards. “At AGC Pharma Chemicals, we place the highest priority on the integrity of our operational processes and the expertise of our frontline teams,” said Jun Kurihar
Introducing Arbex: a New Global Leader in Tissue and Hygiene1.7.2026 14:37:00 EEST | Press release
Arbex, a new global leader in tissue and hygiene, today commences operations as an independent business and unveils details of its brand, leadership team, and company structure. Announced in June 2025 as a $3.4 billion joint venture between Suzano (NYSE: SUZ), the world’s largest pulp supplier, and Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NASDAQ: KMB), a global leader in consumer goods and personal care, the new business will manufacture, market and distribute consumer and professional products across more than 70 markets on five continents. Arbex has assumed ownership of assets previously run by Kimberly-Clark’s International Family Care & Professional (IFP) business unit, which includes 22 manufacturing sites in 14 countries, and a portfolio of more than 40 regional brands including Andrex®, Hakle®, and Scottex®. The company also holds a long-term license for the use of Kimberly-Clark’s global brands, including Kleenex®, Cottonelle®, Scott®, WypAll®, Viva®, and Kimberly-Clark Professional. Ehab A
Klarna has received a favorable ruling in PriceRunner litigation, awarding damages of $1.97 billion1.7.2026 14:19:00 EEST | Press release
Klarna Group plc (NYSE: KLAR) today announces that the court has ruled in PriceRunner’s favor, awarding $1.97 billion in damages in an antitrust case brought by PriceRunner against Google. The award compensates for lost revenue caused by Google's preferential treatment of its own comparison-shopping service over independent price-comparison services, conduct that also drives up costs for consumers. "When markets work well, everyone benefits. Consumers get higher quality at lower cost, companies stay focused on serving customers rather than defending position, and society is better off for it. This ruling supports a healthier, more competitive market for the way people compare products and services — and that is good for everyone who shops," said Dan Greaves, Head of Communications and Policy, Klarna. Klarna acquired PriceRunner in 2022 to add rich product discovery, price comparisons, and product reviews to the Klarna app, and drive high-intent traffic to retail partners. Klarna has si
Objectway Acquires Swiss Private Banking Technology Business From FNZ to Strengthen Its Pan-European Positioning1.7.2026 14:10:00 EEST | Press release
Objectway, a global wealthtech partner for banking, wealth and asset management firms, today announced the acquisition from FNZ of their Swiss private banking technology business FNZ Switzerland SA (formerly operating as New Access). The business will now be operated under the Objectway Switzerland brand. Objectway welcomes a team of over 160 professionals, bringing their expertise and professionalism honed in developing innovative, award-winning solutions for over 40 private banks. The acquisition is a significant step in Objectway’s growth strategy, reinforcing its commitment to expanding its presence in key international wealth hubs such as Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco and the Bahamas, where the newly joined business already serves both domestic and international cross-border clients. The agreement further expands Objectway’s scalable core-to-digital capabilities supporting end-to-end private banking operations, while leveraging an international team and operationa
NIQ Completes Acquisition of Flywheel’s China and Southeast Asia eCommerce Data & Insights Business, Expanding Digital Commerce Intelligence Capabilities1.7.2026 14:00:00 EEST | Press release
NielsenIQ (NYSE: NIQ), a leading consumer intelligence company, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Flywheel’s China and Southeast Asia eCommerce Data & Insights business. The acquired business operates in China under the YiMian (“一面”) brand and is a leading provider of eCommerce, social commerce, and digital shelf solutions. The acquisition expands NIQ’s capabilities across China and Southeast Asia and strengthens its ability to measure and understand consumer behavior across retail, eCommerce, social commerce, and digital environments — advancing NIQ’s mission to deliver The Full View™, the most complete understanding of consumer behavior across online and offline channels. It also enhances NIQ’s data and analytics foundation by expanding access to rich digital commerce signals that support the development of more advanced analytics and AI-powered solutions. By bringing together NIQ’s global intelligence, analytics, and retail measurement capabilities with the ac
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