New Research Team for Multispecific Biologics in Collaboration with Daiichi Sankyo Starts at the BioMed X Institute in Heidelberg
October 23, 2025 – Biotechnology, Drug Discovery, Other, Pharmaceutical – BioMed X, Daiichi Sankyo, biologics, immuno-oncology, research collaboration
The new research team will work on multispecific biologics to target innovative pathways in the tumor microenvironment (TME)
23 October 2025 — Heidelburg, Germany — BioMed X, a leading innovation hub for pharma, today announced the start of a new research team at its Heidelberg institute for multispecific biologics in the field of immuno-oncology in collaboration with Daiichi Sankyo through its Daiichi Sankyo Research Institute in Munich. This new project, led by BioMed X boot camp winner Dr. Reda Benmebarek, will explore next-generation biologics as a potential strategy to transform how solid tumors are treated.
“The ability of multispecific biologics to engage multiple targets simultaneously represents a powerful strategy to overcome the limitations of conventional therapies,” explains Dr. Reda Benmebarek. “By targeting the microenvironment with new biologic scaffolds, we aim to simultaneously recruit immune cells and activate potent immune responses that could potentially increase the efficacy of solid tumor therapy.”
Before joining BioMed X as a group leader, Dr. Benmebarek was a post-doctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München in Munich, Germany where his research focused on mechanisms that govern response and resistance to immunotherapeutics within the tumor microenvironment.
“We are excited to work with Daiichi Sankyo and bring together the innovative minds of both companies to improve cancer therapy,” said Dr. Thomas Rückle, Head of Research Europe at BioMed X. “This collaboration demonstrates our commitment to developing innovative multispecific platforms that may provide more effective treatment options for patients with solid tumors.”
BioMed X’s innovation model provides fertile ground for high-risk, high-reward science. With sites in Heidelberg and New Haven, and satellite research teams embedded directly within pharma R&D environments, BioMed X offers a collaborative space where top talents from academia and industry work side by side. This collaboration with Daiichi Sankyo underscores BioMed X’s role as a truly global innovation hub. By connecting leading minds from around the world, BioMed X accelerates the translation of disruptive scientific ideas into new therapeutic concepts with worldwide impact.
The new research team will join five other groups at the BioMed X Institute in Heidelberg, Germany, as well as two international teams: one at the BioMed X Institute in New Haven, Connecticut, USA and another at its XSeed Labs in Ridgefield, Connecticut, an innovation accelerator located on the campus of Boehringer Ingelheim in the USA.
About BioMed X
BioMed X is an independent research institute with sites in Heidelberg, Germany, New Haven, Connecticut, XSeed Labs in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and a worldwide network of partner locations. We operate at the interface between academia and industry, performing biomedical research and drug discovery & development in the fields of oncology, immunology, neuroscience, women’s health, cardiometabolic diseases, platform technologies, and artificial intelligence. All our research projects are supported by leading pharmaceutical companies or other external funding sources and conducted by early-career scientists recruited from the best schools around the world. The combination of global crowdsourcing with local incubation of the best research talents and ideas allows us to solve the biggest challenges in biomedical research. We stand for free, creative, and curiosity-driven research combined with a solid validation of results, timelines, and deliverables. We serve a large purpose in advancing translational biomedicine by leveraging synergies and fostering cross-pollination across disciplines. Visit: https://bmedx.com/
About Daiichi Sankyo
Daiichi Sankyo is a global pharmaceutical company with corporate origins in Japan. We provide innovative products and services in more than 30 countries/regions around the world. With more than 120 years of scientific expertise, our company draws upon a rich legacy of innovation and a robust pipeline of promising new medicines to help patients. Through the outstanding knowledge and commitment of our 19,000 + employees worldwide, we create innovative new and generic medicines, and new methods of drug discovery and delivery. We share a passion for innovation, as well as compassion for the patients around the world who are in need of our medicines. Visit: www.daiichisankyo.com.
