Boehringer Ingelheim and Vanderbilt University have announced the expansion of their existing collaboration to develop novel anti-cancer compounds.

The expanded research partnership will focus on the discovery and development of new chemical therapeutics targeting the pro-survival protein MCL1 as a potential therapy against MCL1 dependent cancers. This is the third collaboration between Boehringer Ingelheim and Vanderbilt University to pursue discoveries made in the laboratory of Stephen W. Fesik, Ph.D., at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

“Boehringer Ingelheim and Vanderbilt University have the expertise and are jointly focused on discovering breakthrough medicines against the cancer causing proteins KRAS, SOS and now, MCL1,” said Darryl McConnell, Ph.D., vice president and research site head, Boehringer Ingelheim, Austria. “Together, we are committed to driving scientific research and development forward to help patients win the fight against cancer.”

MCL1, when overexpressed, can prevent cancer cells from undergoing programmed cell death (also known as apoptosis). This necessitates the discovery of a molecule that binds extremely tightly and selectively to MCL1 in order to sufficiently induce on-target, mechanism-based cancer cell death.

This agreement between Boehringer Ingelheim and Vanderbilt University includes undisclosed upfront and milestone payments, with the ambition of delivering a new cancer drug to market as quickly as possible.