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
Navan Unveils New Ways to Book, Expense, and Travel at Navigate Europe 202615.10.2026 17:30:00 EEST | Press release
Navan (NASDAQ: NAVN), the global AI-powered business travel and expense platform, unveiled a new set of capabilities and product updates at Navigate Europe, its flagship customer conference. The updates bring Navan into more workplace tools, expand card issuing to new currencies, and simplify guest reimbursement, all while giving businesses greater visibility and control. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261015250476/en/ “Business never stands still. Our customers are constantly expanding and expecting more value, which is why we continue to innovate and elevate every part of the employee experience,” said Michael Riegel, Chief Customer Officer at Navan. “We’ve spent years building the global technology infrastructure and expertise to make travel and expense work better. These new capabilities will support more users in more ways than ever before, all from one connected platform that moves as fast as they do.”
FlightSafety International to Deliver New Embraer E190-E2 Full-Flight Simulator to Azul Brazilian Airlines15.10.2026 17:05:00 EEST | Press release
FlightSafety International Inc. (FSI), the global leader in aviation training and simulation technology, today announced an agreement with Azul Brazilian Airlines to design and manufacture a new Embraer E190-300 (E190-E2) Level D Full-Flight Simulator. Anticipated for delivery in late 2027, the simulator will expand Azul’s pilot training capabilities at its training center in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. “Our partnership with Azul reflects a shared commitment to advancing aviation training and safety,” said Michele Posey, Executive Vice President, Sales, FlightSafety International. “This new simulator will provide Azul pilots with a highly realistic training environment that supports the development of critical skills and prepares them for the demands of commercial flight operations.” “This new simulator represents another important investment in Azul’s operational excellence and long-term growth strategy. Expanding our training capabilities ensures that we continue to prepare our pilo
Andersen Global Deepens Private Client Tax Capabilities with KTA Tax15.10.2026 16:30:00 EEST | Press release
Andersen Global broadens its private client tax capabilities through a Collaboration Agreement with KTA Tax, a Dublin-based tax practice that has advised individuals and families for nearly three decades. KTA Tax has advised private clients and their families since 1997, combining the personal approach of a boutique practice with deep technical knowledge of Irish taxation. Its services span transaction and tax planning, estate planning, investments and pensions, cross-border matters, Revenue interventions, employment tax, and annual personal tax compliance. “We have remained focused on one thing: providing clear, thoughtful tax advice that reflects the individual circumstances of our clients and their families,” said Lisa Cantillon, CEO of KTA Tax. “Collaborating with Andersen Global is an important step for KTA Tax, giving us an opportunity to build on that foundation while extending the resources available to the clients we serve.” “Private client work demands an understanding of mor
Sysco Awards Partner of the Year Award to Grid Dynamics15.10.2026 16:15:00 EEST | Press release
Grid Dynamics Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: GDYN) (“Grid Dynamics”) today announced that Sysco, the global foodservice distribution leader, has named the company its Partner of the Year. The recognition honors Grid Dynamics’ approach and expertise in bringing AI into Sysco’s technology and business operations. Sysco is the global leader in foodservice distribution, generating $84.6 billion in sales for its fiscal year ended June 27, 2026, and serving approximately 670,000 customer locations across 10 countries. The partnership began in 2024 with Grid Dynamics teams working alongside Sysco across product search and discovery, digital commerce, and AI-first software development. Grid Dynamics delivered a range of projects that made everyday work easier for Sysco's associates, enhanced the customer experience, and generated measurable business value. “What makes this partnership work is how closely our teams operate together,” said Ragnarok Rocha, Vice President, Digital Commerce and Customer S
The Outcome Economy at Work – New Research From Vertage15.10.2026 16:01:00 EEST | Press release
Three in four enterprises (74%) define significant work around outcomes, but only 15% are ready to deliver it consistently, according to new global research from HR tech leader Vertage. These ‘outcome-ready’ enterprises report higher customer satisfaction (91% vs. 67%), stronger delivery of strategic goals (86% vs. 65%) and faster conversion of opportunities into value (85% vs. 64%). They also have a cultural edge: 69% of their employees understand their contribution and can adapt how they work, compared with 34% elsewhere. "AI adoption no longer separates strong businesses from the rest. Outcome readiness does," said Edzard Overbeek, Group CEO of Vertage. "The strongest businesses organize people, partners and AI around a clear result, and they keep human judgment at the center." The study, The Outcome Economy at Work, draws on 800 enterprise decision-makers and 1,200 workers across six markets, plus in-depth interviews with senior leaders. Its central finding is clear: outcome-based
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