Aimed Bio Signs $1.4 Billion ADC Technology Transfer Deal with Boehringer Ingelheim

Aimed Bio announced on October 16, 2025, that it has signed a license-out (technology transfer) agreement with global pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim for a next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) drug candidate.

The total contract value is up to 991 million dollars (approximately 1.4 trillion won), which includes an upfront payment and milestone payments for development, approval, and commercialization stages. In addition, separate sales-based royalties will be paid. Both companies have agreed not to disclose the specific upfront payment amount or other detailed contract terms.

Through this agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim has secured worldwide development and commercialization rights for a new tumor-targeted ADC asset developed by Aimed Bio, which is selectively expressed in various solid tumors, including those with KRAS mutations (a well-known oncogene that promotes cancer cell growth). This candidate applies a Topo1 (an enzyme that untwists DNA) inhibitor payload, demonstrating strong anticancer efficacy and high tumor selectivity. The goal is to enter Phase 1 clinical trials next year.

Nam Dohyun, Chief Technology Officer of Aimed Bio, stated, "This agreement is significant as it marks another recognition of the potential of Aimed Bio's precision antibody-based ADC assets on a global scale. Together with Boehringer Ingelheim, we aim to rapidly advance this innovative anticancer drug candidate to the clinical stage and offer new options to cancer patients with limited treatment alternatives."

Vittoria Zinzalla, Global Head of Experimental Medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim, commented, "ADC is a field that opens new possibilities for cancer treatment through the convergence of life sciences and technology. We expect that Aimed Bio's ADC, which precisely targets specific cancer cell surface markers, will provide meaningful therapeutic benefits to patients with hard-to-treat cancers."

Aimed Bio is a biotech company spun off from Samsung Medical Center in 2018. It develops precision antibodies and ADC drugs through a patient-derived cell-based target discovery and antibody selection platform. The company is currently expanding collaborations with multiple global firms, submitted its securities registration statement on September 29, and is preparing for a KOSDAQ listing within the year.