Boehringer Ingelheim acquires Saiba Animal Health to strengthen pet therapeutics portfolio

SWITZERLAND – Boehringer Ingelheim, a leading pharmaceutical company, has acquired Saiba Animal Health (SAH) AG, a Swiss company focused on developing novel therapeutic solutions for chronic pet diseases. 

This acquisition will enhance Boehringer Ingelheim’s animal health research and development pipeline, particularly in the growing pet therapeutics sector.

As pets live longer, the need for effective treatments for chronic conditions such as allergies, inflammation, and pain has increased. 

SAH began as a spin-off company from the University of Zürich, Switzerland, and has since developed animal health vaccines, including its HypoCat vaccine, which seeks to neutralise the allergen in cats that causes a reaction in some humans. 

The company received an R&D project grant from the Swiss Commission for Technology and Innovation to advance its work on that therapeutic. 

Saiba Animal Health’s innovative platform uses virus-like particles to create therapeutic vaccines that target and neutralise disease-causing animal proteins. 

This unique approach promises longer-lasting therapeutic effects, improved treatment outcomes, and better compliance from pet owners.

Eric Haaksma, Head of Global Innovation in Animal Health at Boehringer Ingelheim, highlighted the importance of addressing the evolving medical needs of ageing pets. 

“We are excited about the potential of Saiba Animal Health’s groundbreaking technology platform, which could result in a more specific and longer-lasting therapeutic response to chronic diseases in companion animals than current approaches,” Haaksma said.

The acquisition builds on several collaborations between the two companies, which have advanced multiple product candidates using Saiba’s platform. 

Dr Gary T. Jennings, CEO of Saiba Animal Health, expressed enthusiasm for the deal, saying, “Joining forces will pave the way for a whole new class of therapeutic medicines for pets, with a true impact on the lives of animals and their owners.”

Stifel, an American multinational independent investment bank and financial services company, acted as Saiba Animal Health’s exclusive financial advisor for the transaction, but no other financial details were disclosed.

According to Nora Aji, a Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health spokesperson, SAH’s personnel structure will remain fully intact after the merger. 

“We are pleased to gain the talents and expertise of colleagues from Saiba Animal Health. They will remain in their current premises in Zürich, Switzerland, for the foreseeable future,” Aji said.

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