On October 25, 2023, during the 2023 Boehringer Ingelheim China R&D Day event, Burning Rock and Boehringer Ingelheim officially signed the Master Service Agreement (MSA) in the field of oncology companion diagnostics. This agreement aims to provide Chinese patients with safer, more efficient, and precise treatment options and diagnostic methods, thereby promoting innovation and development in cancer treatment. This partnership will primarily focus on advancing the clinical trials related to Boehringer Ingelheim's MDM2-p53 antagonist, brigimadlin (BI 907828), and the development of companion diagnostic products in China.
Brigimadlin is a novel small-molecule drug developed by Boehringer Ingelheim as a MDM2-p53 antagonist. Recently, brigimadlin received approval from the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for its Phase II clinical trial, known as Brightline-2, targeting locally advanced or metastatic MDM2-amplified, TP53 wild-type solid tumors. It offers new treatment options for patients with MDM2-amplified, TP53 wild-type cancers, such as Biliary Tract Carcinoma (BTC), and opens up a "pan-tumor" treatment approach targeting the MDM2-p53 axis. Previous Phase I studies demonstrated anti-tumor activity for brigimadlin across various solid tumors, with particularly promising clinical efficacy observed in BTC patients.
With the formal approval of the Brightline-2 clinical trial, the safety and efficacy of brigimadlin will undergo further validation. Burning Rock will leverage its dual-center, internationally accredited laboratory, a global companion diagnostics registration pipeline, a comprehensive biomarker development solution for drug research, and its extensive experience in clinical projects and companion diagnostics development and submissions, providing comprehensive support for the research and development of the innovative drug brigimadlin and the development and validation of companion diagnostic assays, offering new hope for patients with hard-to-treat and rare cancers in China.
Mr. Yusheng Han, Founder and CEO of Burning Rock, expressed, "We are delighted to establish a deep collaboration in companion diagnostics with Boehringer Ingelheim. Burning Rock has a comprehensive layout and supports companion diagnostics development with a global perspective for pharmaceutical companies. We believe that by integrating the resources and expertise of both parties in the field of oncology diagnosis and treatment, this collaboration will set a standardized and high-quality benchmark for the co-development of companion diagnostics for new anti-cancer drugs. We look forward to achieving more significant breakthroughs in this collaboration and providing more precise treatment options for Chinese cancer patients."
About Burning Rock
Burning Rock Biotech Limited (NASDAQ/LSE:BNR), whose mission is to guard life via science, focuses on the application of next generation sequencing (NGS) technology in the field of precision oncology. Its business consists of 1) NGS-based therapy selection testing for late-stage cancer patients, 2) Global pharmaceutical services on biomarker detection and companion diagnostics developing, and 3) NGS-based cancer early detection, which has moved beyond proof-of-concept R&D into the clinical validation stage.
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