Boehringer, Hydra Biosciences to develop small-molecule inhibitors to treat CNS disorders

As part of the agreement, both the companies will work together to discover and advance candidate inhibitors.

Hydra Biosciences president and CEO Russell Herndon said the company is happy to be working with Boehringer Ingelheim, a company that shares its dedication for developing new products that improve patient’s lives.

"The combination of Hydra’s unique understanding of TRP channels and BI’s proven research, development and commercialization capabilities provides an excellent opportunity to maximize the potential of these novel targets," Herndon said.

Under the deal, Boehringer Ingelheim is responsible for the global development and commercialization of the new inhibitors, while Hydra will receive an upfront payment, additional research funding, and is also eligible to receive milestone payments and tiered royalty payments on future product sales.

Boehringer Ingelheim VP of Neuroscience Research Bernd Sommer said, "We are very excited to collaborate with Hydra Biosciences and to be able to build on their significant expertise in the field of TRP channels in our endeavors to provide the numerous patients suffering from CNS disorders with new treatments that offer meaningful therapeutic improvement."

Hydra, with the help of its proprietary platforms, develops drugs to treat pain, inflammation, anxiety and other diseases using its expertise in novel ion channels.

Image: Boehringer Ingelheim Center (BIC), the Corporate Headquarters Building in Ingelheim, Germany. Photo: courtesy of Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH