30 September 2016 - - German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim and Sarah Cannon Research Institute, the research arm of Sarah Cannon, the global cancer institute of HCA, have formed a new strategic collaboration, the principals said.

This partnership brings together Boehringer Ingelheim's extensive experience in cancer drug development and Sarah Cannon's expertise and leadership in designing and optimising clinical trials.

The joint clinical development programme will study Boehringer Ingelheim's BI 754091(anti- PD-1) and BI 754111 (anti-LAG 3) monoclonal antibodies for the combination treatment of multiple cancers with high unmet medical needs, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

BI 754091 and BI 754111 are immune checkpoint inhibitors designed to rally the patient's own immune system which is often suppressed by the tumor to fight cancer.

As both compounds interact with the immune system at different points, the combination treatment approach is expected to result in better anti-tumor response, potentially leading to improved outcomes for patients.

Following preliminary findings, the collaboration could be expanded beyond the initial research focus.

Through Sarah Cannon Development Innovations, an oncology-focused contract research organisation, Sarah Cannon will provide clinical development services and operational delivery of Boehringer Ingelheim's early stage development programs.

The collaboration will enable rapid patient enrollment to clinical trials through Sarah Cannon's extensive network across the US and UK. Sarah Cannon is one of the world's leading clinical research organizations, conducting more than 220 first-in-human studies to date and enrolling more than 2,000 patients each year on innovative clinical trials.