The first biotherapeutic medicine for human use was approved almost 40 years ago and since then these valuable medicines have become an integral and important part of the modern therapeutic armoury. Scientists are now able to develop specific antibodies to create ground-breaking treatments for diseases where options previously did not exist. In contrast, the use of therapeutic antibodies in veterinary medicine is in its early stages with just a small number of antibodies having been approved. 

Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the largest manufacturers of biologic medicines in the world and is developing many new biotherapeutic medicines with the potential to change the lives of patients around the world. With this extensive knowledge and experience in human biotherapeutics research and discovery, the Company is now gearing up to deliver the next generation of biopharmaceutical breakthroughs – in animal health. 

Committed to advancing medicine that addresses unmet treatment needs for animals, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health has recently formed a strategic multi-year collaboration with PetMedix, a UK-based start up, that is leveraging the innovation in human biotherapeutic drug development, and applying cutting-edge science, to advance therapeutic antibody treatment for much-loved pets using a breakthrough approach. 

The development of species-specific therapeutic antibodies is challenging, which is why only a few antibodies have been approved for use in animals to date. And, while it’s possible to give some types of human medicines to pets, this is not the case with therapeutic antibodies as the animal’s immune system would reject them. Consequently, pets are continuing to suffer from conditions that humans can successfully receive treatment for, including allergies, arthritis and cancer. 

A new application for cutting-edge biotherapeutics

PetMedix’s proprietary Ky9™ platform is based on a technology that has resulted in a number of successful, novel therapies for humans. Bringing this innovative approach to veterinary medicine makes it possible to generate high quality, species-specific antibodies rapidly and efficiently. This not only saves time and money in drug development, it reduces the risk of adverse events related to the use of antibodies that are not 100% sequence matched to the patient.

“We’re bringing the gold standard of therapeutic antibody science to companion animal medicine and believe we’re one of the largest research groups in the world dedicated to working in this field. Our unique approach will bring the best antibodies to animal health and it’s good to see the data begin to empirically demonstrate that”, says Dr. Jolyon Martin, Cofounder and Head of Business Development at PetMedix. 

As the only company in the world to apply this innovative transgenic platform to veterinary medicine, PetMedix is leading the charge in developing biotherapeutics for companion animals. And it’s this ground-breaking science that attracted Boehringer Ingelheim.

“Partnering with PetMedix at this early stage gives us a great opportunity to support emerging science in animal pharma,” says Dr. James Allan, Executive Director, Business Development for Boehringer Ingelheim. “We have long believed that start-ups and life-science entrepreneurs are the source of many sparks of innovation, and we are excited to work with the great team at PetMedix to realize their ambition for companion animal antibody therapeutics.”

Leveraging Complementary Skills and Expertise

Combining PetMedix’ expertise in veterinary biotherapeutic technology with Boehringer Ingelheim’s long experience and innovation in human antibody discovery and development provides a unique opportunity for the partners.

Dr. Andrew Nixon, Global Head of Biotherapeutics Discovery Research at Boehringer Ingelheim, believes this diversity of perspective is crucial. “Leveraging the wealth of complementary expertise and skills across a global community of scientists in both human and animal health disciplines brings critical diversity to innovation,” says Nixon. “The more opinions we have to consider, the more opportunities we have to explore. This collaboration is a great example of how we are applying our human health expertise and translating this into innovative solutions that improve the health and wellbeing of animals.”
This shared focus on science was a critical factor for PetMedix as negotiations were underway. “We are a science-intensive organization” explains Jolyon Martin, “and right from the outset, all our discussions were science-led. Boehringer Ingelheim really understood what mattered to us. They brought in the relevant scientific leads to help us agree a ‘technical wish-list’ for the project so that both sides were really clear what the goals were. Ultimately, we both want the same thing: to deliver breakthroughs in animal health as quickly and effectively as possible.”

Under this new partnership, PetMedix will continue to focus on discovery activities, while Boehringer Ingelheim will work to develop the resultant species-specific biotherapeutics, leveraging its global scale and industry leadership to bring these novel therapies to market.

Collaboration for innovation

External partnerships are fundamental to Boehringer Ingelheim’s innovation strategy and collaborations with partners play an essential role in finding solutions to the biggest challenges in animal health. As a family-owned organization, the Company is fully committed to long-term collaborations, believing this is the best way to create a culture for shared success.

“Our partnerships are based on mutual trust, a real understanding of each other’s needs and a shared vision to make a difference to the health and wellbeing of animals” explains James Allan. “We take the view that we’re in this together. And that listening to, learning from and making decisions together with our partners are the key ingredients to ensure success for the projects we work on.”