19.09.2024UZH Spin-off Saiba Animal Health is acquired by Boehringer Ingelheim

Boehringer Ingelheim is acquiring Saiba Animal Health, a UZH spin-off focused on developing novel therapeutic medicines for the treatment of chronic diseases in companion animals.  

Saiba Animal Health's innovative technology platform uses a novel therapeutic vaccine approach that aims to create an immune response that targets chronic diseases such as allergies, inflammation and pain. The therapeutic vaccines contain virus-like particles that stimulate the animal's immune system. They produce neutralising antibodies against the animal's disease-causing proteins. This approach can lead to longer duration of effect and better treatment outcomes.  

Saiba Animal Health was founded in 2013 as a spin-off from the University of Zurich and has developed a broad and innovative pipeline of virus-like particle (VLP)-based therapeutic vaccines targeting important unmet medical needs in veterinary medicine.  Eric Haaksma, Head of Global Innovation Animal Health at Boehringer Ingelheim, says: «As a research-driven company, we are very excited by the potential of Saiba Animal Health's breakthrough technology platform, which could lead to more specific and longer-lasting therapeutic responses to chronic diseases in companion animals than current approaches.»