Probiodrug and
Crossbeta Biosciences enter into a strategic partnership in the
field of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers
License and supply
agreement is based on Crossbeta's proprietary technology and
supports Probiodrug's biomarker development activities
HALLE (SAALE),
Germany, UTRECHT, The Netherlands, 30 June 2016 - Probiodrug AG
(Euronext Amsterdam: PBD), a biopharmaceutical company developing
novel therapeutic solutions to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD),
announced today an agreement with the Dutch biotech company
Crossbeta Biosciences B.V. in order to utilize Crossbeta's
proprietary technology in support of Probiodrug's biomarker
development activities.
AD, the most common form of
dementia affecting 26 million people worldwide, is characterized by
misfolded beta-amyloid and tau proteins. The oligomeric forms of
these proteins play a pivotal role in the patho-physiology of the
disease.
Oligomer-specific research and
development of therapeutics, biomarkers and diagnostics is very
challenging due to the inherent instability of these protein
aggregates. Crossbeta's proprietary stabilization technology
generates pure and functional preparations of oligomeric protein
species and thereby overcomes this problem, enabling highly
reproducible and well-controlled assays for pre-clinical and
clinical R&D.
Inge Lues, Chief
Development Officer of Probiodrug, commented: "We are very
pleased to announce the collaboration with Crossbeta. The potential
of Crossbeta's unique technology has significant impact to overcome
the challenge of establishing and validating sensitive and specific
assays for Abeta- and pGlu-Abeta-oligomers to be used in the
clinical studies of Probiodrug's lead candidate, Glutaminyl Cyclase
(QC) inhibitor PQ912. "
Guus Scheefhals,
Chief Executive Officer of Crossbeta, added: "This strategic
partnership with Probiodrug is very exciting and an important
recognition of our expertise and capabilities. As a clinical-stage
company, Probiodrug is a particularly important partner in our
growing collaborative network. We look forward to contributing
towards the development of this promising therapeutic approach
targeting AD."
###
For more
information, please contact:
Probiodrug
Dr Konrad Glund, CEO
Email: contact@probiodrug.de
Hume
Brophy
Supriya Mathur, Eva Haas, Alexia Faure
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7862 6475
Email: probiodrug@humebrophy.com
The Trout
Group
Tricia Truehart
Tel: +1 (646) 378-2953
Email: ttruehart@troutgroup.com
Crossbeta Biosciences
BV
Guus Scheefhals, CEO
Phone: +31 30 253 2668
Email: g.scheefhals@crossbeta.com
Notes to
Editors:
About Probiodrug
AG
Headquartered in Halle (Saale), Germany, Probiodrug AG (Euronext
Amsterdam: PBD) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the
development of new therapeutic products for the treatment of
Alzheimer's disease.
Founded in 1997, the company
successfully developed a novel therapeutic concept for diabetes -
the DP4 inhibitors - which provided the basis for a novel class of
antidiabetics - the gliptins. Its core capabilities are based on
its long-standing expertise in the elucidation of the structure and
function of enzymes involved in the modification of proteins and
peptides, which play a central role in pathological conditions.
Today Probiodrug's aim is to
become a leading company in the development of Alzheimer's disease
treatments and to thereby provide a better life for Alzheimer's
disease patients. It has identified a new therapeutic concept
linked to disease initiation and progression. The development
approaches are targeting pyroglutamate-Abeta (pGlu-Abeta) as a
therapeutic strategy to fight Alzheimer's disease. The Company has
medical use and composition of matter patents related to the
inhibition of Glutaminyl Cyclase (QC) and anti-pGlu-Abeta- specific
monoclonal antibodies, providing it, in the Company's view, with a
leading position in this field of research.
Probiodrug's lead product
candidate, PQ912, is a highly specific and potent inhibitor of
Glutaminyl Cyclase (QC), which has shown therapeutic effects in
Alzheimer's animal models. PQ912 is currently in a Phase 2a study,
the SAPHIR trial. In a preceding Phase 1 study with healthy young
and elderly volunteers, PQ912 has shown to be safe and well
tolerated and also revealed high QC-inhibition.
www.probiodrug.de
About Crossbeta
Biosciences
Crossbeta Biosciences is a biotech company with a proprietary
technology for efficient oligomer-based drug discovery, with
applications in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS and Huntington's
disease. Crossbeta's technology allows the unprecedented generation
of well-defined stable, pathobiologically functional, oligomers.
Crossbeta's oligomers have enabled the development of robust assays
allowing fast, de-risked compound screening and characterization.
The unique capabilities of Crossbeta's technology have been
demonstrated in a therapeutic Alzheimer's disease program by
successfully identifying compounds that neutralize oligomer
toxicity in vitro and in
vivo.
Crossbeta offers its proprietary
technology for strategic collaborative partnerships aimed at
developing new oligomer targets and related screening assays and
for therapeutic and diagnostic/biomarker assay development
programs.
www.crossbeta.com
About Alzheimer's
disease
Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disorder, which is the most
common form of dementia, and ultimately leads to death. Because
Alzheimer's disease cannot be cured and is degenerative, the
affected patients must increasingly rely on others for assistance.
Today, over 46 million people worldwide currently live with the
condition and this number is expected to increase to 132 million by
2050. Alzheimer's also has an estimated, global societal cost of
US$ 818 billion (World Alzheimer Report 2015).
Forward Looking
Statements
Information set forth in this press release
contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of
risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained
herein represent the judgment of Probiodrug AG as of the date of
this press release. Such forward-looking statements are neither
promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and
uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and which
could cause actual results to differ materially from those
contemplated in these forward-looking statements. We expressly
disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any
updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change
in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or
circumstances on which any such statement is based.