- This preclinical small molecule program provides a potential first-in-class, oral, precision immunometabolic method for regulating immune cells that drive disease
- The agreement features upfront and milestone payments to Sitryx amounting to more than US $500 million, along with tiered royalties
- The exclusive license broadens Boehringer’s preclinical immunology pipeline, which is focused on enhancing patient outcomes
Ingelheim, Germany; Oxford, UK; and Boston, USA, 26 February 2026 – Boehringer Ingelheim and Sitryx Therapeutics (“Sitryx”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical firm creating new oral treatments to rebalance the immune system in autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, today revealed that Boehringer has obtained an exclusive license for a preclinical small molecule program from Sitryx. This program presents a new, oral, potentially disease-altering treatment strategy for various autoimmune and inflammatory disease types.
The global impact of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases is growing rapidly, with millions of patients unable to maintain long-term disease control using current therapies. This highlights the critical need for new, precise mechanisms that target pathways causing disease.
“Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases are still areas where innovation is desperately needed. Sitryx’s small molecule inhibitor program introduces a promising new mechanism that matches our focus on advancing first-in-class approaches. Alongside Sitryx, we are dedicated to turning this science into treatments that can significantly enhance patients’ lives,” stated Carine Boustany, Head of Immunology and Respiratory Diseases Research at Boehringer Ingelheim.
“This partnership is a significant milestone for our company and a clear confirmation of the strength of our pipeline and our ability to turn immunometabolic targets into impactful therapeutic candidates,” said Iain Kilty, Chief Executive Officer of Sitryx. “We are proud to license out this preclinical program to Boehringer Ingelheim, whose global expertise in immunology and drug development will help position this program to provide meaningful benefits to patients around the world.”
Per the agreement’s terms, Sitryx gives Boehringer an exclusive global license to the multiple candidates and related intellectual property in this small molecule inhibitor program. Boehringer takes full responsibility for the program, including ongoing research, clinical development, and commercialization. Sitryx gets both upfront and short-term payments and is qualified to receive potential development, regulatory, and commercialization milestone payments totaling over $500 million, plus tiered royalties on future sales.
Boehringer Ingelheim
Boehringer Ingelheim is a biopharmaceutical company operating in both human and animal health. As one of the industry’s leading investors in research and development, the company concentrates on creating innovative treatments that can improve and prolong lives in areas with significant unmet medical needs. Independent since its establishment in 1885, Boehringer adopts a long-term view, integrating sustainability throughout its entire value chain. Our roughly 54,500 employees serve more than 130 markets to build a healthier, more sustainable future. Learn more at (Global) or (UK).
About Sitryx
Sitryx is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company creating new oral treatments to rebalance the immune system in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The company has an extensive pipeline of new small molecule candidates targeting major autoimmune conditions with significant unmet needs. Its lead candidate, SYX-5219, is a potential first-in-class PKM2 modulator being developed for atopic dermatitis as a once-daily oral treatment, with future development possibilities across multiple autoimmune diseases.
Founded with seed funding from SV Health Investors, Sitryx has a global group of specialized investors including SV Health Investors, Sofinnova Partners, Oxford Science Enterprises, Longwood Fund, Eli Lilly and Company, and GSK.
Sitryx is based in Oxford, UK, with an additional location in Boston, MA. For more details, please visit .
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