On March 23, 2026 CDR-Life, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing highly selective T cell engagers (TCEs) to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases, reported achievement of the first preclinical milestone under its 2025 license agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim. This milestone marks continued progress in the companies’ efforts to develop next-generation antibody-based therapies for autoimmune diseases.
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The candidate is a trispecific M-gager, an antibody-based T cell engager designed to selectively target and deplete B cells with the goal of achieving an immune system reset. Dysregulated B cells are key drivers in many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including lupus, multiple sclerosis and certain forms of arthritis, making deep and selective B-cell depletion a promising therapeutic strategy across multiple indications.
The milestone was achieved following in vitro and in vivo preclinical proof of concept studies. Based on these results, Boehringer Ingelheim has elected to proceed with further development of the candidate.
"This milestone reflects the strength of our antibody-derived platform and its ability to rapidly generate highly potent, selective molecules," said Christian Leisner, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of CDR-Life. "We are excited to see continued momentum in our partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim and look forward to further advancements of this program."
The partnership combines CDR-Life’s proprietary antibody fragment technology and M-gager platform with Boehringer Ingelheim’s global expertise in drug development to advance novel therapeutic approaches aimed at selectively targeting disease-driving immune cells. The Licensing deal was first announced in November 2025.
(Press release, CDR-Life, MAR 23, 2026, View Source [SID1234666502])