Boehringer Ingelheim has entered into a strategic collaboration with Re-Vana Therapeutics to develop first-in-class extended-release therapies for eye diseases, with a potential deal value exceeding $1 billion. The partnership announced on July 28, 2025, aims to address the significant treatment burden faced by millions of patients with eye health conditions who require frequent injections directly into the eye.
Addressing Treatment Burden in Ophthalmology
The collaboration centers on Re-Vana's innovative drug delivery technology, which is designed to release treatments slowly over six to 12 months, potentially drastically reducing injection frequency for patients. This extended-release approach could lead to higher treatment compliance and better therapeutic outcomes, according to the companies.
"We're looking forward to team up with Re-Vana to push the boundaries of what's possible in eye health," said Nedim Pipic, Global Head of Mental Health, Eye Health and Emerging Areas at Boehringer Ingelheim. "Together, we want to tackle the limits of today's treatments – aiming to help people keep their sight, with fewer injections."
Strategic Partnership Structure
Under the collaboration agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim aims to add up to three projects per year across therapeutic modalities. The companies will jointly oversee Re-Vana's feasibility and development activities for the extended-release programs, with Boehringer Ingelheim assuming sole responsibility for clinical development, regulatory approval, and global commercialization of the resulting products.
The terms grant Boehringer Ingelheim target exclusivity and provide for upfront, development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments to Re-Vana. The total potential deal value exceeds $1 billion for the initial three targets, in addition to royalty payments on net sales.
Expanding Eye Health Portfolio
Boehringer Ingelheim plans to combine Re-Vana's delivery technology with its existing eye health pipeline, which includes four assets currently in Phase II trials. The German pharmaceutical company has been actively expanding its presence in ophthalmology, having previously licensed a bispecific antibody from Surrozen and formed a geographic-atrophy-focused partnership with RetinAI.
"The strategic collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim marks a transformational moment for Re-Vana," said Michael O'Rourke, Re-Vana Chief Executive Officer. "By combining our extended-release platform with Boehringer Ingelheim's world-class research and development capabilities and eye health pipeline, we strive to bring forward a new generation of long-acting treatments for eye diseases that offer clinical and quality-of-life benefits for patients."
Company Backgrounds
Re-Vana Therapeutics, founded in 2016 as a spin-out from Queen's University Belfast, is an ocular therapeutics and drug delivery company based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Tampa, Florida. The company is venture-backed by leading US ophthalmic investors including Visionary Ventures, ExSight Ventures, and InFocus Capital Partners, as well as UK investors including QUBIS, TechStart Ventures, Invest Northern Ireland, and Clarendon Fund Managers. Re-Vana is currently raising a Series B round for their sustained release anti-VEGF asset.
Boehringer Ingelheim, founded in 1885, is a biopharmaceutical company active in both human and animal health, with approximately 54,500 employees serving over 130 markets globally. As one of the industry's top investors in research and development, the company focuses on developing innovative therapies in areas of high unmet medical need.
