Boehringer Ingelheim and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have entered a collaboration focused on developing new medicines for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The collaboration combines MD Anderson's understanding of potential drivers of PDAC with Boehringer's drug discovery and development experience and will focus on identifying and developing therapeutic concepts in novel target areas, as well as identify biomarkers to accurately identify patients who would respond to potential new therapies. 

"We are excited to be able to work with the leading cancer research and care institution in the world to develop therapies for patients with this devastating cancer," said Clive Wood, senior corporate vice president of Discovery Research at Boehringer Ingelheim. "This partnership is a perfect match because it combines MD Anderson's outstanding capabilities in preclinical concept validation and clinical testing with Boehringer Ingelheim's strength in developing innovative medicines."

"At MD Anderson, we have created integrated platforms that will enable the discovery of more effective therapeutics for cancer patients," said Timothy Heffernan, executive director and co-leader for MD Anderson's Center for Co- Clinical Trials . "This alliance combines expertise in cancer genetics and translational medicine with outstanding drug discovery and development and it has great potential to conquer devastating diseases like pancreatic cancer."