Research & Development

As a global pharmaceutical company, the discovery and development of innovative medicines is fundamental to our continued growth and success. Our blueprint for innovation is tailored to accelerate the delivery of breakthrough medicines to the patients we serve by integrating research, pre-clinical and early clinical development, translational medicine and external partnering functions. This fusion of expertise combined with a dynamic research approach and an increased emphasis on external collaborations means we can effectively incubate the most creative ideas and be among the pioneers in emerging fields of medicine.


Research Approach

Innovation is inscribed in our Company vision “Value through Innovation”. But what is it to innovate in research? And how does a family-owned pharmaceutical company, established more than a century ago, remain at the forefront of innovation and ready to address the challenges of a rapidly changing, 21st century life-science ecosystem? 

Boehringer Ingelheim – On the Front Line of Research and Innovation

Every day, scientists at Boehringer Ingelheim embark on a journey. It is a journey that can take up to 15 years and can cost around one billion dollars. Only a tiny proportion of these journeys are successful. This is the journey of drug discovery. And the destination is delivering innovative new medicines to patients.

Boehringer Ingelheim has enjoyed a period of unprecedented drug discovery success with 14 products approved by either the US or European regulatory authorities since 2014, including four new medical entities. Our innovation has also been demonstrated by our achievement of four Breakthrough Therapy designations by the US Food and Drug Administration since the classification was established in 2012. 

But the journey to drug discovery success – from the initial screening of a molecule to its availability for patients – is long and challenging. Often, while many thousands of molecules may be potential candidates for development as a medical treatment, only a few will warrant further investigation and only one will be investigated in late-stage clinical trials and finally made available for patients.1

In a rapidly-changing scientific environment, how do we keep ahead of the game and beat the odds to translate the scientific discoveries we are making in the laboratories into potential new medicines that will improve patient’s lives?

A Discovery Research Strategy to Accelerate Innovation

Our discovery research strategy is designed to sustain our track record of innovation and look for new and breakthrough medicines. Our approach leverages our history and established expertise, fosters internal synergies and includes a bold commitment to external partnerships to incubate the most creative thinking. Our progressive strategy positions us for the future of healthcare in three ways:

  1. Building on our strengths by focusing on the discovery and development of new and innovative medicines for patients in our key therapeutic areas
  2. Creating synergies by identifying and exploring unifying scientific platforms and enabling technologies with the potential to impact across out therapeutic areas
  3. Harnessing emerging science and technology within and beyond our therapeutic areas to develop treatments that create new reference points.

 

Dr. Clive Wood, Senior Vice President, Human Pharma Discovery Research believes this progressive research strategy positions the Company to continue on its 130-year path of innovation excellence.
 

​“We’re very proud of our research innovation track record, but to continue to be on the front line when new research fields emerge we have re-shaped our research strategy to allow greater versatility. This means we can build on our exceptional abilities in discovering and developing new medicines in our core areas but also explore those areas where science is breaking so we can translate new scientific findings into the next generation of pioneering medicines.”

 

1. https://www.fda.gov/ForPatients/Approvals/Drugs/ucm405382.htm (Accessed 2017 06 01)