Israeli-founded AI biotech Immunai launches drug-discovery collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim

Israeli AI biotech company Immunai has announced a significant drug-discovery collaboration with German pharmaceutical giant Boehringer Ingelheim. The partnership, focused on identifying novel T-cell targets, spans immuno-oncology and autoimmune diseases, aiming to address critical unmet medical needs.

The initial collaboration is valued at up to $15 million and is set to run through 2027, with potential for extension based on scientific progress. The companies plan to build a comprehensive data foundation across cancer and autoimmune disease research. They will then apply Immunai’s advanced single-cell artificial intelligence platform to analyze thousands of patient samples, seeking to uncover patterns of T-cell dysfunction that could lead to new drug targets.

“

Cancer immunology and autoimmune diseases both involve T-cell dysfunction, but they have largely been explored separately. This collaboration brings together large-scale, clinically grounded data, translational science and functional validation to support broad target discovery across both fields.

T cells play a crucial role in the immune system. Their dysfunction can hinder the body's ability to fight cancer or lead to autoimmune conditions where the body attacks its own tissues. This research distinguishes itself by examining both cancer immunology and autoimmune disease concurrently, rather than as separate disciplines. Promising findings will undergo further validation in Immunai’s wet lab, potentially forming the basis for new drug development projects at Boehringer Ingelheim.

"Cancer immunology and autoimmune diseases both involve T-cell dysfunction, but they have largely been explored separately," said Noam Solomon, CEO of Immunai. "This collaboration brings together large-scale, clinically grounded data, translational science and functional validation to support broad target discovery across both fields." Solomon added that an unbiased approach across numerous patient samples could reveal hidden biological insights and therapeutic opportunities. Lamine Mbow of Boehringer Ingelheim highlighted the collaboration's alignment with the company's mission to find new treatments for patients with serious unmet medical needs.

“

Across oncology and inflammatory/autoimmune diseases, patients continue to face serious unmet medical need, and too many still lack treatment options that can meaningfully change the course of disease.