Boehringer Ingelheim to invest €11bn for medical R&D

Of the total amount, the company will spend €5bn for preclinical research through 2020, and €1.5bn will go to collaborations with external partners.

The move is intended to speed up the discovery of next generation medical breakthroughs.

Boehringer Ingelheim is launching a new research and development (R&D) strategy, which includes increased focus on collaborations with external partners.

The company has recently partnered with four US institutions to find and validate new therapeutic targets for inflammatory bowel disease.

Boehringer said its approach will allow it to build on its experience in core therapeutic areas as well as expand efforts to access the creative pool of worldwide biomedical research via open innovation, which has become a key part of drug discovery.

The company noted that the new R&D program plays an important role in its global strategy to be prepared for challenges in the pharmaceutical market.

Boehringer Ingelheim chairman of the board of managing directors Andreas Barner said: "This is another decisive step to position Boehringer Ingelheim for long-term growth.

"We are looking forward to addressing unresolved challenges in immunology, respiratory and cardiometabolic medicine, as well as in oncology, in diseases of the central nervous system and beyond."

Germany-based Boehringer Ingelheim operates with 146 affiliates and employs over 47,700 people globally.

Image: Boehringer Ingelheim chairman of the board of managing directors Andreas Barner. Photo: courtesy of Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH.