Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Saniona (STO:SANION) announced on Tuesday that its collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim has advanced to lead optimization, triggering a EUR500,000 research milestone payment.

This partnership, focused on addressing cognitive impairments in schizophrenia, began in 2016 and aims to explore a novel CNS ion channel target using Saniona's drug discovery platform. Boehringer Ingelheim holds exclusive global rights to research, develop and commercialize resulting therapies. Saniona could receive up to EUR76.5m in milestone payments and royalties from global sales.

Originally a research-focused biotech, Saniona has transitioned into a clinical-stage company with a diversified pipeline targeting neurological disorders. Partnerships remain key to its revenue strategy, with past alliances including Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Janssen.