Boehringer Ingelheim has entered a new three-year collaboration with Circuit Therapeutics to develop novel medicines to treat obesity and associated diseases.
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Under the deal, the firms will use Circuit’s proprietary optogenetics technology platform in development of new treatments.
Boehringer Ingelheim research and non-clinical development senior corporate vice-president Dr Michel Pairet said: "Boehringer Ingelheim is excited about the potential of the optogenetics technology platform developed by Circuit and wants to carry on the success already achieved in the area of neurology into the area of metabolism."
The optogenetics technology will be applied to identify targets in central nervous circuits relevant for obesity, as well as central and peripheral circuits relevant for coordinating food intake.
The insights being provided by the technology will allow the firms to better understand mechanisms involved in obesity.
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By GlobalDataIt will also enable them in the prioritisation of novel targets with a potential for therapeutic intervention superior to current standard of care in obesity.
The companies previously collaborated to focus on the development of new treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders.
This collaboration had already generated first targets for symptoms of anhedonia, an inability to feel and experience pleasure, relevant to multiple psychiatric disorders, which will be further assessed by Boehringer Ingelheim.
Circuit Therapeutics chairman Fred Moll said: "The success of our first collaboration is founded in Boehringer Ingelheim’s unique partnering approach and its outstanding internal drug discovery capabilities."
