Boehringer-Ingelheim

Pain - our R&D efforts for major therapeutic advances

With the globally marketed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug Mobic� (meloxicam) and further well-known branded analgesics established in many markets, we at Boehringer Ingelheim have an established commitment to the treatment of pain disorders and we are continuously exploring new ways to manage pain. We successfully demonstrated the efficacy of Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide (CGRP) antagonists in clinical trials with patients suffering from migraine headache. Together with Eli Lilly and Company, we also successfully conducted phase III trials to introduce the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) duloxetine for the management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain.

We continue to strive for medical advances through intense internal research . Our current drug discovery focus is on well characterized molecular targets, such as ion channels, G-protein coupled receptors and enzymes localized along nociceptive pathways. We keep refining our range of disease models by systematically profiling distinct drug targets in multiple test systems. These include modern, non-invasive imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) to obtain a pain fingerprint for each distinct mechanism. In all these activities we follow an integrated approach with interdisciplinary R&D project teams in close interaction with our colleagues from clinical research. Our internal efforts are selectively strengthened by strategic alliances.