Boehringer inks $1.3B acquisition of Nerio and its preclinical checkpoint inhibitors

(July 29, 2024) | By James Waldron.

Boehringer Ingelheim is offering up to $1.3 billion for Nerio Therapeutics and a preclinical immune checkpoint inhibitor program that the German pharma giant hopes will become the “centerpiece” of its immune-oncology portfolio.

Nerio has been working on small molecules that inhibit protein tyrosine phosphatases N1 and N2 (PTPN1 and PTPN2). PTPN1 and PTPN2 regulate cytokine signaling and T cell receptor signaling, with preclinical research suggesting inhibiting them can enhance anti-tumor activity.