S5. E9. 當病友成為我們的夥伴，讓治療方案更加完整 FIGHTING FOR SIGHT

全世界有數百萬人因視網膜疾病，生活受到影響；視網膜疾病的醫療需求非常高。百靈佳殷格翰正在與外部合作夥伴合作，研發更多的治療方案。

視網膜疾病對人們的生活帶來非常大的困擾，對日常生活的行為（包含：閱讀、駕駛交通工具、生活自理能力）帶來負面影響。因此，研發醫療方案、取得相關並且有用的資訊，對視網膜患者來說非常重要的議題。

視網膜健康是百靈佳殷格翰近年發展中，相對較新的醫療領域。百靈佳殷格翰與學術機構以及生物科技合作夥伴聯手，合作研發機器學習技術與創新的藥物傳輸系統（novel drug delivery system，NDDS），希望能改善現有醫療方案，進而開發新療法。

百靈佳殷格翰全球視網膜健康部門負責人 Ulrike Gräfe-Mody 博士特別強調：「與外部的夥伴合作，可以與我們既有的產品線以及現有的聯盟成員結合，進而能推動我們在視網膜疾病醫療領域的進度，取得重要發展。我們已經在2020年時，擴大了視網膜疾病的研究發展規模。首批化合物已經進展至臨床試驗階段。」

百靈佳殷格翰的外部合作機構合作夥伴，分布於全球各地。與 Inflammasome Therapeutics、 CDR-Life 的合作即為案例。Inflammasome Therapeutics 的新型藥物傳輸系統，是直接在眼睛內部直接、緩慢釋放化合物。我們的目標是將老年性黃斑部病變（Age-related macular degeneration）患者的住院時間，從目前的四到八週住院一次，降低至每年一次。我們希望能改善全球視網膜領域的醫療方案成效，改善患者生活品質。百靈佳殷格翰全球視網膜健康部門負責人 Victor Chong 博士解釋說：「透過與CDR-Life合作，我們正在努力研發以抗體片段為基礎的療法，用以治療視網膜地圖狀萎縮（geographic atrophy，黃斑部病變的乾式模式)。市面上目前沒有獲准能用於治療這類嚴重黃斑部病變的醫療方案。）

與在地以及國際病友團體（如：國際視網膜組織 Retina International ，總部位於愛爾蘭都柏林，數十年來已經為40多個由患者病友經營的慈善機構及基金會發聲。）的合作夥伴關係，也會影響研發新治療方案的走向。討論的重點在於釐清、調整罕見、遺傳或與年齡相關類視網膜疾病的研究程序。這些組織團體也能讓病友有機會獲得早期檢測服務及新型治療方案。視網膜疾病的衛教資訊與教育，也會起非常重要的作用。百靈佳殷格翰全球患者倡議部門 Richard Pitt 解釋說：「這代表著我們可以優化百靈佳殷格翰的藥物與服務內容，檢視我們如何在選擇治療方案以及提升生活品質等層面，盡力滿足患者未被滿足的需求。」

FIGHTING FOR SIGHT

Millions of people are affected by retinal diseases worldwide, and the medical need is therefore very high. Boehringer Ingelheim is working together with external partners on numerous new treatment options.

Diseases of the retina have a pro- found effect on people’s lives, negatively impacting their ability to perform everyday tasks such as reading, driving, or maintaining their independence. Access to therapies as well as relevant and helpful information is therefore very important.

Retinal Health is a relatively new therapeutic area for Boehringer Ingelheim. The company collaborates with academic and biotech partners in the development of machine-learning technology and novel drug delivery systems aimed at improving existing treatments and developing new therapies.

“External partnerships and collaborations enable us to combine the potential of our own pipeline with the strengths of our partners and thus achieve crucial progress in the treatment of retinal diseases,” emphasizes Dr. Ulrike Gräfe-Mody, Global Head of Retinal Health. “We further expanded our research and development activities for retinal diseases in 2020. The first compounds are already in clinical development.”

Boehringer Ingelheim currently has many external collaborations worldwide; the partnerships with Inflammasome Therapeutics and CDR-Life are examples. “Inflammasome Therapeutics’ novel drug delivery system will deliver our com- pound directly inside the eye where it is gradually released. Our goal is to reduce the hospital appointments from currently every four to eight weeks to once a year in patients with the wet form of age-related macular degeneration. Together, we hope to improve real-world efficacy and patients’ quality of life,” explains Dr. Victor Chong, Global Head of Medicine, Retinal Health at Boehringer Ingelheim. “By working with CDR- Life, we are striving to develop an antibody fragment-based therapy for geographic atrophy, the dry form of macular degeneration. Currently, there is no approved treatment for this severe form of macular degeneration.”

Partnerships with national and international patient organizations such as Retina International are also particularly important for the development of new therapeutic options. The main focus is guiding and influencing the course of research into rare, inherited, or age-related retinal diseases. The association also facilitates access to early detection services and new treatment methods to its members. In addition, information and education about retinal dis- eases also plays an important role. “Regarding our partnerships with patient organizations, we focus on integrating patient needs into our development strategies and awareness programs. Boehringer Ingelheim also benefits from the direct contact with patients and their families,” explains Richard Pitt, Global Patient Advocacy Relations. “This means we can optimize how Boehringer Ingelheim’s medicines and services address patients’ unmet needs in terms of treatment options and quality of life.”

Retina International, an umbrella organization with its headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, has given voice to over 40 patient-run charities and foundations for decades.