Ablynx announced that it has extended its strategic alliance with Boehringer Ingelheim for another two years, running until September 2014.
Our view:
The extension will bring in € 6.6m, some of which upfront, in return for additional research work that will be provided by Ablynx scientists. Since inception in September 2007, the strategic alliance has resulted in € 58m cash inflows for Ablynx.
Today, there are 2 programs within this strategic alliance in preclinical development, while seven other programs are in various stages of the discovery process. On top of the strategic alliance, Ablynx has also collaborated with Boehringer on Alzheimer’s disease, which is also in preclinical development.
Conclusion:
Ablynx stated that the extension will allow the company to move the ten Nanobody programs within the strategic alliance into a level where Boehringer can progress them into further development.