Our Research Approach

Boehringer Ingelheim – On the Front Line of Research and Innovation

Every day, scientists at Boehringer Ingelheim embark on a journey. It is a journey that can take up to 15 years and can cost around one billion dollars. Only a tiny proportion of these journeys are successful. This is the journey of drug discovery. And the destination is delivering innovative new medicines to patients.

Boehringer Ingelheim has enjoyed a period of unprecedented drug discovery success with 14 products approved by either the US or European regulatory authorities since 2014, including four new medical entities. Our innovation has also been demonstrated by our achievement of four Breakthrough Therapy designations by the US Food and Drug Administration since the classification was established in 2012. 

But the journey to drug discovery success – from the initial screening of a molecule to its availability for patients – is long and challenging. Often, while many thousands of molecules may be potential candidates for development as a medical treatment, only a few will warrant further investigation and only one will be investigated in late-stage clinical trials and finally made available for patients.¹

In a rapidly-changing scientific environment, how do we keep ahead of the game and beat the odds to translate the scientific discoveries we are making in the laboratories into potential new medicines that will improve patient’s lives?

A Discovery Research Strategy to Accelerate Innovation

Our discovery research strategy is designed to sustain our track record of innovation and look for new and breakthrough medicines. Our approach leverages our history and established expertise, fosters internal synergies and includes a bold commitment to external partnerships to incubate the most creative thinking. Our progressive strategy positions us for the future of healthcare in three ways:

1. Building on our strengths by focusing on the discovery and development of new and innovative medicines for patients in our key therapeutic areas
2. Creating synergies by identifying and exploring unifying scientific platforms and enabling technologies with the potential to impact across out therapeutic areas
3. Harnessing emerging science and technology within and beyond our therapeutic areas to develop treatments that create new reference points.

Strengths	Our research into new medicines focuses on those areas where we have developed significant expertise: CardioMetabolic diseases, CNS diseases, Immunology and Respiratory diseases, and Oncology and Cancer Immunology. We are also leveraging our long track record of excellence in New Chemical Entity and New Biological Entity development.
Synergies	We are creating synergies by establishing overarching scientific platforms such as immune modulation and fibrosis so we can focus expertise and resources in research fields that cut across multiple therapeutic areas.
Emerging Science	Our Research Beyond Borders program is exploring new frontiers in science and technology so we can remain at the forefront of innovation and identify where science is breaking and medical needs are changing.

Dr. Clive Wood, Senior Vice President, Human Pharma Discovery Research believes this progressive research strategy positions the Company to continue on its 130-year path of innovation excellence.

“We’re very proud of our research innovation track record, but to continue to be on the front line when new research fields emerge we have re-shaped our research strategy to allow greater versatility. This means we can build on our exceptional abilities in discovering and developing new medicines in our core areas but also explore those areas where science is breaking so we can translate new scientific findings into the next generation of pioneering medicines.”

1. https://www.fda.gov/ForPatients/Approvals/Drugs/ucm405382.htm (Accessed 2017 06 01)