Boehringer walks away from an anti-inflammatory deal with Orexo

Boehringer Ingelheim has handed back the rights to a drug development project targeting pain and inflammation, ending a long-standing partnership with Orexo. The deal, initially struck in 2005, focused on therapies that inhibit the hormone prostaglandin E2, which plays a role in inflammatory processes around the body, according to Orexo. The partners agreed on an undisclosed candidate back in 2010, triggering an $8.6 million milestone payment for Orexo, but the line has largely gone cold since then. Announcing the split, Sweden-headquartered Orexo said it will evaluate the existing data and then make a final decision on whether to continue the project with a new partner. More