Giving Innovation a Second Chance | Boehringer Ingelheim

How open innovation gives scientific discoveries a second life

Through opn2SCREEN, an initiative by opnMe, researchers identified a new potential therapeutic approach for gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors using a previously shelved SYK inhibitor. The example shows how open innovation, enabled by academic-industry collaboration, can accelerate scientific discovery by connecting compounds, data and expertise across the scientific ecosystem.

In pharmaceutical research, what gets “left behind” rarely tells a success story—yet sometimes, it becomes the beginning of one. BI 1002494, a SYK inhibitor, a compound once set aside in our Boehringer research, is now opening up a promising new therapeutic approach for gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors (GI-NETs). What’s special about it: someone outside of our company discovered this potential – through our open innovation platform opnMe.

This kind of discovery highlights a broader shift in how pharmaceutical innovation can happen. At Boehringer Ingelheim, opnMe is designed not just to revive individual compounds, but to connect scientific knowledge, data, and expertise across institutional and geographic boundaries, turning previously shelved compounds into new opportunities for patients and healthcare systems. In this way, opnMe strengthens the bridge between academic and industry partners, enabling a more collaborative approach to advancing science and healthcare.

“In research, we know that most of the molecules we work on will not make it all the way to patients”, explains Matthias Hoffmann, Senior Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry. “That is part of the nature of our work. But every molecule and every experiment still add to the knowledge others can build on. As a company, we benefit enormously from the science happening in academia, so it’s important that we also give back by providing high-quality compounds and data. Only with a strong, functioning ecosystem can we continue to advance innovation in a meaningful way.”

How does opnMe turn existing science into new discoveries?

Since its launch in 2017, opnMe has connected more than 8,000 researchers across 58 countries to our compound library. By providing free access to over 100 pre-characterized molecules, the platform enables independent biomedical research that builds on existing knowledge rather than duplicating it, helping to accelerate discovery across the scientific ecosystem.

How does open innovation accelerate drug discovery?

With its recent initiative, opn2SCREEN, 26 selected researchers were able to access the full opnMe compound library. This expands the scope of exploration, from targeted hypotheses to broader, system-level screening, enabling scientists to uncover previously unrecognized biological connections and translate them into new research pathways.

A new potential target emerges: SYK Inhibition in oncology research

This approach is already delivering results. Using opn2SCREEN, Teresa Gagliano and her team at the University of Udine identified a completely new therapeutic angle in cancer research.

Their work uncovered the potential of BI 1002494, a compound designed to block SYK, an enzyme involved in cell signaling pathways linked to tumor growth and immune responses, for treating gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors (GI-NETs), a rare and often slow-growing cancer that develops in the digestive tract.

"opnMe has had a huge impact. It helped our group identify a new target that wasn't previously described as playing a role in tumor progression and response to treatment, which could eventually open new paths for research and, ultimately, for patient therapy."

Teresa Gagliano

University of Udine

Why does open innovation matter for pharmaceutical research?

The ability to “rescue” and repurpose compounds has implications far beyond individual breakthroughs. By making better use of existing data, infrastructure, and prior investment, approaches like opnMe contribute to a more efficient and resilient innovation ecosystem.

Instead of working in isolation, scientists can build on each other’s insights, accelerating the translation of research into potential therapies and reducing delays in bringing new options to patients.

At the same time, this model helps to:

Ultimately, this means that promising ideas can move more quickly from the lab toward real-world application, helping to improve outcomes not just for individual patients, but across healthcare systems.

FAQ Section

What is opnMe?

[opnMe.com](/content/disclaimer/external?path=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.opnme.com%2F "opnMe.com"/index.html) is an open innovation portal designed to foster collaborative biomedical research and strengthen academic-industry collaboration.

This platform allows us to establish novel research partnerships, extend beyond our existing networks, discover talented people keen on advancing their postdoctoral careers at our discovery research sites.

The portal offers three main pillars to the scientific community:

opnMe has connected:

Find out more: Open Innovation at Boehringer Ingelheim  Boehringer Ingelheim

What is opn2SCREEN?

opn2SCREEN, an initiative by opnMe, was designed to spark collaboration and accelerate pharmaceutical innovation in scientific research. Rather than selecting compounds individually, researchers could apply to gain access to an entire library at once. opn2SCREEN moved beyond single-compound studies and empowered researchers to conduct systematic, large-scale exploration, unlocking new biological insights and speeding up scientific progress.

Find out more: opn2SCREEN.

What are SYK Inhibitors?

SYK inhibitors target spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK), an enzyme involved in regulating cell growth and immune signaling. By connecting insights across these pathways, researchers can better understand how diseases develop and progress, creating opportunities for more targeted treatment approaches.

What are gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors?

Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors (GI-NETs) are rare cancers of the digestive tract that can be difficult to detect early, as they often grow slowly and may cause few or non-specific symptoms. This can delay diagnosis and make new oncology research into potential treatment approaches especially important.