Corporate Magazine 2012 - Boehringer Ingelheim

2 31 Scientists in Hannover working in the laboratoriesof the new Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary R&Dcentre.2 Epilepsy is a common disease in dogs and occursfrequently in the first year of life.3 Chronic kidney disease is a frequent diagnosisin aging cats.1INNOVATION – FROM THE IDEATO THE FINAL PRODUCTAt all R&D centres, we conductvaccine research and development,from the idea to the finalproduct and marketing authorisation,using the latest technology.Many of our R&D centres are nearacademic research institutionsand close cooperation betweenacademic or biotech basic research,on the one hand, and applieddrug development at AnimalHealth, on the other, has provento be the most efficient way ofbringing innovation to the veterinarianand the animal owner.While these treatments lead to the desiredreduction in events, the drugs areassociated with a number of unwantedeffects, including tiredness and negativeeffects on the liver. Animal Health hasrecently obtained approval for a noveltreatment (imepitoin), which reducesthe number of events, while having asignificantly improved safety profile.This active ingredient binds to a differentreceptor than the currently approvedtreatments and thus has a differentmode of action.Kidney disease in catsChronic kidney disease in cats is a frequentdiagnosis in ageing cats. In manycases, this disease is associated withfatigue and a reduced quality of life inthe affected animals. A hallmark ofthis disease is that the kidneys becomeleaky and excrete proteins that arenormally not found in the urine.In addition, this disease is often associatedwith a high blood pressure inthese animals, which contributes tothe progression of the disease. In manycases, animals die from the long-termeffects of this disease. We have recentlyobtained the approval for a noveltreatment (telmisartan) to reduce theprotein leakage in the kidneys.This drug belongs to a class that is newto veterinary medicine, but has beenone of the first line options in humansfor treating high blood pressure andsome forms of kidney disease. Theseangiotensin receptor antagonists preventthe detrimental effect of angiotensinII on cells by selectively blockingits binding to one of the receptors.Preventing disease with vaccinesVaccination against infectious diseasesis one of the most effective measures tomaintain the health of livestock andcompanion animals. Boehringer Ingelheimhas a global network of vaccineR&D and manufacturing sites to serveglobal as well as regional needs.This includes US sites in the Midwest(Missouri and Iowa). In Hannover, Ger-102 Boehringer Ingelheim annual report 2012