Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund invests in the development of precision antimicrobials

Ingelheim, Germany,

Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund has invested in Obulytix, a Ghent, Belgium based spinoff from KU Leuven and Ghent University, building a novel platform based on engineered enzymes from bacteria-killing viruses (bacteriophages) as a new way to tackle antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacterial infections.

  • Obulytix uses an artificial intelligence-assisted approach to develop phage lysins to fight AMR infections, a very powerful way of killing bacteria while preventing microbial resistance.
  • The new investment is part of Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund’s strategic focus on investing in novel approaches to combat AMR and its commitment to invest in up to 12 AMR infection companies.
  • The joint investment by Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, Qbic and Gemma Frisius Fund amounts to 4 million EUR.
  • Recently Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund  also invested jointly with Scottish Enterprise in Glox Therapeutics, another company pioneering the development of precision antibiotic therapies based on naturally occurring bacteriocins, which have high potency and specificity against AMR bacteria.

Why it matters

  • The increase in AMR infections is a looming global crisis, resulting in about 1.27 million casualties globally every year and it has been estimated that by 2050, as many as 10 million people could die per year from bacterial infections caused by AMR strains, making it potentially deadlier than cancer.
  • Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to investing EUR 35 billion in health innovation to tackle non-communicable diseases by 2030, as well as investing EUR 200 million in partnerships to specifically combat emerging infectious diseases.

More info

About Boehringer Ingelheim

Boehringer Ingelheim is working on breakthrough therapies that transform lives, today and for generations to come. As a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, the company creates value through innovation in areas of high unmet medical need. Founded in 1885 and family-owned ever since, Boehringer Ingelheim takes a long-term, sustainable perspective. More than 53,000 employees serve over 130 markets in the two business units Human Pharma and Animal Health. Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com

About Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund

Created in 2010, the Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund GmbH (BIVF) invests in ground-breaking companies to drive innovation in biomedical research. BIVF is searching for significant enhancements in patient care through pioneering science and its clinical translation by building long-term relationships with scientists and entrepreneurs. BIVF’s focus is to target unprecedented concepts addressing high medical needs in immuno-oncology, regenerative medicine, infectious diseases and digital health. For more information, please visit: www.boehringer-ingelheim-venture.com

Boehringer Ingelheim’s Intended Audiences Notice

This press release is issued from our Corporate Headquarters in Ingelheim, Germany and is intended to provide information about our global business. Please be aware that information relating to the approval status and labels of approved products may vary from country to country, and a country-specific press release on this topic may have been issued in the countries where we do business.

Media Contacts