Cambridge animal health technology pioneer PetMedix has clinched a multi-year partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim to develop novel and transformative companion animal antibody therapeutics using PetMedix's proprietary Ky9™ platform. 

As part of the collaboration, PetMedix will undertake discovery activities against a number of key targets and Boehringer Ingelheim will work to develop and bring these therapies to market.

The companies refuse to disclose financial details of the tie-up.

While there are many technologies that have been used to develop human therapeutic antibodies, PetMedix's breakthrough approach is equivalent to one that has resulted in a number of successful, novel therapies for humans. 

PetMedix is the only company in the world that has brought this innovative approach to veterinary medicine, with its Ky9™ platform able to rapidly and efficiently generate fully canine therapeutic antibodies. 

This approach saves time and money in drug development, and reduces the risk of certain key adverse events relative to other antibody technologies.

The company, founded in 2018, has grown to employ over 30 staff and expanded into new lab space at the Babraham Research Campus in 2020. 

The partnering deal with the second largest animal health company globally signifies a big step forward for the PetMedix.

Tom Weaver, CEO of PetMedix, said: “We are excited to be working with Boehringer Ingelheim on this project as we feel we bring complementary experience and expertise to this partnership. 

“PetMedix has developed the leading pet antibody discovery engine and it will be through Boehringer Ingelheim's global scale and industry leadership that these novel therapies will best be able to succeed and ultimately benefit animals and – by extension – their owners.”

The health and welfare of pets is closely linked to the health and wellbeing of their human owners, as trends show pets increasingly valued as family members.

PetMedix is developing therapeutics to fill a yawning gap in the provision of precision medicine for pets. Through close collaboration with their counterparts in human health, PetMedix is applying the principles of One Health – the mutual benefits of sharing knowledge, experience and technology between human and animal health with the potential for increased benefits for both. 

This partnering deal provides the opportunity for these mutual benefits to be realised on a global scale.