Kinaxo and Boehringer Ingelheim embark on two-year collaboration

Collaboration agreement

Boehringer Ingelheim has entered into a two-year collaboration with Kinaxo Biotechnologies GmbH, a spin-off from the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, Germany. Kinaxo will apply its platform technologies to target drug identification and mode of action studies.

In the collaboration, Kinaxo will build on its current capabilities with technologies based on high-end mass spectrometry. This will allow researchers to determine the effects of compounds on signal transduction pathways across the proteome, and will also provide a detailed view of their in vivo modes of action in cultured cells or animal models.

In the initial phase, Kinaxo will undertake two studies. One will measure the effects of an enzyme inhibitor on the acetylation status of the cellular proteome. The second aims to identify new drug targets. In this study, Kinaxo will use its phosphoproteomics platform to compare the activation status of the signal transduction pathways in neuronal tissue in wild-type mouse with that in a genetically modified mouse model of disease.

Dr Andreas Jenne, Kinaxo’s CEO, said: “We are delighted to apply these recent technology innovations in our collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim. In offering access to this state-of-the-art platform we will enhance and complement our existing services.

“Among other applications, our customers will now be able to determine the quantitative effect of their compounds on cellular signalling pathways, as well as identify and quantify compound target interactions, all in a proteome-wide fashion. This will provide critical cell-based and in vivo information on a compound’s mechanism of action to support drug programme decision making.”