New York-based Envisagenics has entered a multi-year research collaboration and option agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim to identify and validate tumor-specific targets derived from alternative RNA splicing for use in solid tumor therapies, with Envisagenics eligible to receive more than USD 1 billion in aggregate payments including an upfront payment, research funding, option fees, development, regulatory and commercial milestones, and royalties on future product sales.
Under the agreement, Envisagenics will apply its AI-powered SpliceCore platform — which the company describes as screening more than 14 million distinct RNA splicing events to predict disease specificity, patient prevalence, and therapeutic suitability — to identify and validate tumor-specific targets. Boehringer Ingelheim will then have the option to exclusively license selected validated targets for downstream development and commercialization across multiple modalities, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), T-cell engagers (TcEs), and multispecific antibodies.
Envisagenics describes SpliceCore as combining artificial intelligence, large-scale transcriptomics, and experimental validation to access this layer of cancer biology systematically. Alternative splicing can generate tumor-specific protein isoforms that are absent or less abundant in healthy tissue, potentially expanding the pool of selectively targetable antigens for modalities such as ADCs and T-cell engagers.
The specific upfront payment amount, individual milestone values, option fees, royalty rates, deal duration, and geographic scope have not been disclosed. The USD 1 billion figure represents the maximum aggregate potential across all payment categories if options are exercised and milestones are achieved across multiple targets.