Boehringer Ingelheim is teaming up with Germany's Ablynx to develop a "nanobody" program that targets Alzheimer's. The companies pegged the value of the worldwide licensing deal at a total of $265 million, but didn't detail how the money would be paid out. The pact includes a joint research program and leaves Boehringer Ingelheim in charge of development and commercialization of any products that are advanced. Ablynx has been developing "nanobodies" for a number of ailments and has other pacts with drug developers such as Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Centocor, Kirin Brewery and Procter and Gamble Pharmaceuticals. These nanobodies are fragments of antibodies that are small enough to enable easier delivery that circumvents the need for injections common to antibodies.
- here's the release on the deal