Boehringer Ingelheim signed an option to acquire Trutino Biosciences Inc., a San Diego-based biotech company.

Led by Phillip Kim, Ph.D., MBA, Founder and CEO, Trutino Biosciences is a pre-clinical stage biotech company dedicated to the discovery and development of next-generation cytokine therapies to treat immuno-oncology and autoimmune diseases.

Boehringer Ingelheim is dedicated to a two-pronged research strategy to fight cancers: through cancer cell-directed and immune cell-targeting compounds. The ongoing research partnership between Boehringer Ingelheim and Trutino is part of an overarching effort to mobilize a patient’s immune system to fight cancer.

Under the agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim reserves the right to purchase all shares of Trutino Biosciences once specified program milestones have been achieved within a given timeframe. Until that time, Trutino will continue to operate as an independent company, with the existing fruitful strategic partnership and collaboration agreement between the companies continuing uninterrupted.

The transaction consideration consists of an option fee, the issuance of a convertible note and fixed purchase price terms to acquire Trutino Biosciences once pre-defined milestones are achieved. The option fee and principal amount of the convertible note funded by Boehringer Ingelheim at the signing of the option will collectively fully finance Trutino Biosciences through the next major development milestones of Trutino Biosciences.