Protagen expands Cooperation with Bayer HealthCare
Wednesday, 07 December 2011
Protagen AG, a specialist for in-vitro diagnostics and GMP-compliant protein analysis, and Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, a global leading specialty pharmaceuticals company, announced today the start of a new collaboration project for the clinical validation of diagnostic biomarkers in Endometriosis.
This new cooperation project builds on the results of the Endometriosis biomarker discovery study performed last year, and is already the third UNIarray® Project within the collaboration between the two partners in the last three years.
Endometriosis is a debilitating gynecological medical condition occurring in roughly 5% -10% of women worldwide. The golden standard of diagnosis is currently performed by laparoscopy, a visual inspection of the abdominal organs followed by surgical removal and examination of lesions. Aim of the current study is to employ the UNIarray® technology for the predictive diagnosis of Endometriosis and to improve patient's quality of life. In order to understand the biochemical and molecular biological processes of Endometriosis, new technologies like UNIarray® are becoming increasingly important.
„With the targeted advancement of the UNIarray® technology platform, Protagen has developed into a preferred partner for drug development companies", states Dr. Peter Schulz-Knappe, CSO and Executive Vice President Diagnostics at Protagen, „now we can directly support our collaboration partners in pharma and biotech in all clinical Phases I-IV with the development of therapy specific diagnostic assays.
Besides Endometriosis, our technology is applied in autoimmune diseases like Multiple Sclerosis, chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer. Cooperation partners are, amongst others, Bayer, Biogen-Idec und SuppreMol."
About Protagen AG
Protagen AG (www.protagen.de) is an international leading specialist in the fields of in vitro diagnostics and GMP-compliant protein analysis. The innovations of Protagen are UNIarray®, a technology platform for the development of novel serum based diagnostics, as well as UNIchip®, a versatile product family of protein microarrays for faster development of antibodies.
Contact Media Enquiries
Dr. Stefan Müllner
CEO
Protagen AG
Otto-Hahn-Str. 15
44227 Dortmund
Bettina Franz
Protagen AG
Otto-Hahn-Str. 15
44227 Dortmund
Tel: +49 (0) 231 9742 6300
Fax: +49 (0) 231 9742 6301
E-Mail: [email protected]
Tel: +49 (0) 231 9742 6300
Fax: +49 (0) 231 9742 6301
E-Mail: [email protected]
About SuppreMol
SuppreMol is a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and allergies. The company is pioneering the development of soluble Fc gamma receptors (sFcγRs), which are recombinant autologous therapeutic proteins with a proven, strong immunosuppressive potential. The company plans to develop sFcγRs for the treatment of Primary Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and other autoimmune conditions. SuppreMol's pipeline comprises three early antibody development programs against Fcγ receptor IIb (FcγRIIb) suitable for alternative treatment strategies and indications (e.g. hypersensitivities) as well as an anti IL-3 antibody to treat RA for which the company obtained an exclusive license option recently.
SuppreMol was founded in 2002 as a spin-off from the laboratory of Prof. Dr. Robert Huber, Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1988, at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry in Martinsried, Germany. The company has raised EUR 35.2 million in three financing rounds since May 2006 and investors include MIG AG, BioMedPartners AG, Santo Holding GmbH, FCP Biotech Holding GmbH as well as KfW Mittelstandsbank, Bayern Kapital GmbH, Max Planck Society, and Z-Cube. SuppreMol received BMBF research grants of over EUR 2 million since 2007.
About SM101
SuppreMol's lead candidate SM101 is a recombinant, soluble, non-glycosylated version of the Fcγ receptor IIb. The protein binds to autoantibody/autoantigen complexes and blocks the triggering of Fc receptors on the surface of immune cells. As a result, the immune response is downregulated and the activation of the inflammation cascade typically seen in autoimmune diseases is prevented.
SM101 has been validated in relevant animal models and has shown strong efficacy by decreasing inflammation and immune reactions.
At present, SM101 is being developed in Primary Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP). SuppreMol has been granted orphan medicinal product designation in the EU as well as orphan drug designation in the US for this indication. The company believes SM101 may also have potential in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and other autoimmune diseases.
Contact Media Enquiries
Prof. Dr. Peter Buckel
CEO
SuppreMol GmbH
Am Klopferspitz 19
82152 Martinsried / Munich
Dr. Ludger Wess
Managing Partner
akampion
Hasenhoehe 29
22587 Hamburg / Germany
Tel: +49 (0) 89 30 90 50 680
Fax: +49 (0) 89 30 90 50 68 68
E-Mail: [email protected]
www.suppremol.com
Tel: +49 (0) 40 88 16 59 64
Fax: +49 (0) 40 88 16 59 65
E-Mail: [email protected]
www.akampion.com