Boehringer Ingelheim announced a license and collaboration agreement with Simcere Pharmaceuticals to develop Simcere’s pre-clinical TL1A/IL23p19 bispecific antibody, SIM0709 for the treatment of inflammatory bowl disease (IBD).

IBD affects an estimated 3 million people globally and is a lifelong progressive condition that often leads to frequent hospitalizations and surgeries, significantly impacting patients' quality of life.¹ Current standard of care options are unable to prevent to reverse common complications of IBD, leaving an unmet need in treatment.

"In IBD, too many patients continue to progress and experience severe complications despite currently available anti-inflammatory therapies. We are excited to join forces with Simcere to accelerate the development of this therapeutic as a potential life changing option for patients living with IBD,” said Carine Boustany, U.S. innovation unit site head and global head of immunology and respiratory diseases at Boehringer Ingelheim.

The collaboration marks Simcere's second out- licensing transaction in the autoimmune field, as of January 2026, Simcere has completed a total of five out-licensing deals for its self-developed novel drug technologies, with a total potential transaction value of approximately $4.6 billion.¹

Over the past several months Boehringer has continued to enter both license and collaboration agreements in an effort to advance and strengthen its autoimmune and inflammatory disease pipelines, including its recent global licensing agreement with CDR-Life, developing CDR-Life’s antibody based molecule CDR111 designed to selectively target and deplete B cells with the goal of achieving immune system reset for autoimmune diseases.

What is SIM0709?

Simcere developed its long-acting humanized bispecific antibody SIM0709 using its proprietary multi-specific antibody platform.1 The antibody was designed to simultaneously target tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 15 (TL1A) and interleukin-23 (IL-23), thereby blocking two core pathways driving the onset and progression of IBD.¹

SIM0709 has also demonstrated superior synergistic efficacy in both vitro primary cell studies and vivo animal studies, outperforming the combination of the two corresponding monotherapies.¹

"Simcere's bispecific antibody SIM0709 was engineered with our proprietary multi-specific antibody platform with first-in-class potential for IBD treatment. Partnering with Boehringer Ingelheim, with its long‑term commitment and deep expertise in immunology, positions the compound for rigorous global development," said Gaobo Zhou, chief investment officer, Simcere Pharmaceutical Group. "Together we aim to accelerate the clinical development and advance a treatment option that could improve outcomes for patients world-wide affected by IBD."

What are the details of the collaboration agreement?

Per the terms of the license and collaboration agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim is set to receive the global rights to the asset, aside from the greater China area.¹

Simcere is also eligible to receive an upfront payment as well as success-based development, regulatory, and sales milestones up to $1.26 Billion, along with royalties on net sales outside of the Greater China territory.¹

Sources

1. Boehringer Ingelheim and Simcere Partner to Advance a Dual-Target Antibody Treatment to Address Unmet Needs in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Simcere Pharmacetuicals Group Limited January 27, 2026 https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boehringer-ingelheim-and-simcere-partner-to-advance-a-dual-target-antibody-treatment-to-address-unmet-needs-in-inflammatory-bowel-disease-302671140.html