Das Projekt beinhaltet die Entwicklung von personalisierten Therapien für Betroffene mit seltenen NME, bei denen bisher Behandlungsmöglichkeiten fehlen. Zu den Patient:innen gehören auch Kinder und junge Erwachsene, die bislang keine Aussicht auf Heilung oder zumindest auf Linderung der Erkrankung hatten. Für sie sollen neue therapeutische Ansätze entwickelt werden, die im Sinne eines “Bench-to-Bedside”-Prinzips (aus dem Labor an das Krankenbett) direkt in individuelle Heilversuche überführt werden können. Dabei kommen sogenannte Omics-Technologien sowie Bioinformatik inkl. Künstliche Intelligenz (KI) zum Einsatz, um therapeutisch relevante Krankheitsmechanismen zu identifizieren und in die klinische Anwendung zu überführen.

Ausgangspunkt für diesen Ansatz sind die Patient:innenauswahl, die Analyse von  Hautbiopsien und die nachfolgende Phänotypisierung (Klassifizierung des Erscheinungsbildes) der gewonnenen Hautzellen (genauer: Fibroblasten). Diese Phänotypisierung, die von Wissenschaftler:innen in Düsseldorf, Bochum und Essen durchgeführt wird, wird zum Verständnis der zugrunde liegenden Eigenschaften dieser Zellen führen. Da Hautzellen dieselben genetischen Informationen wie Muskelzellen tragen, lassen sich ihre krankheitsverursachenden Veränderungen mit Omics-

Technologien untersuchen. Omics bezeichnet die gesamtheitliche Charakterisierung unter anderem aller Gene, Proteine oder Metabolite (Stoffwechselprodukte). Omics-Daten liefern einen wichtigen Ansatzpunkt in der personalisierten Medizin, da sie Aufschluss über individuelle Krankheitsvorgänge und mögliche Therapieansätze geben. Die Firma Singleron wird die zugrunde liegenden Genaktivitäten (sogenannte Transkriptomanalysen) durchführen, während ISAS-Forschende die entsprechenden Proteine und Stoffwechselprodukte auf Basis speziell entwickelter Massenspektrometrie-Verfahren analysieren werden.

 Suche nach bereits bekannten und unbekannten Arzneimittelwirkstoffen

Die gewonnenen Omics-Daten werden Bioinformatiker:innen am ISAS anschließend mithilfe von KI auswerten und mit Datenbanken zu vorhandenen Arzneimittelwirkstoffen abgleichen. Das Ziel dieser Analysen ist es, geeignete, bereits bekannte Wirkstoffe zu finden, mit denen sich die im ersten Schritt identifizierten fehlregulierten zellulären Prozesse bei NME adressieren lassen – und die damit für die Behandlung der Patient:innen infrage kommen können. Außerdem wird das Lead Discovery Center nach weiteren potenziell wirksamen Substanzen suchen. Sowohl die neuen, als auch bereits bekannten Wirkstoffe werden anschließend im Labor an den gewonnenen Fibroblasten getestet. In einem weiteren Schritt werden die Wissenschaftler:innen die Relevanz der fehlregulierten zellulären Prozesse in Nerven- und Muskelzellen prüfen. Erfolgversprechende Substanzen sollen danach in den Kliniken direkt für eine personalisierte Behandlung in individuellen Heilversuchen in den Patient:innen eingesetzt werden.

Insgesamt hat das Konsortium aus Kliniker:innen, Grundlagenwissenschaftler:innen und Bioinformatiker:innen bei diesem Forschungsprojekt sowohl den medizinischen, als auch den gesellschaftlichen Nutzen im Fokus. Eine verbesserte Lebensqualität der NME-Patient:innen durch neue personalisierte Therapien wirkt sich nicht nur positiv auf die einzelnen Betroffenen, sondern auch auf ihre Familien und das gesamte gesellschaftliche Umfeld aus.

Übersicht der Projektpartner

Unter der Leitung von Prof. Dr. Tobias Ruck von der Universitätsmedizin Düsseldorf vereint das Konsortium führende medizinische Forschungsinstitutionen und Industrieunternehmen. Dieser synergistische neuartige Ansatz ermöglicht innovative Therapiestrategien zur schnelleren Diagnostik und Behandlung von NME. Zentral für diese Ziele ist eine intensive Zusammenarbeit der Projektpartner:innen:

• Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Klinik für Neurologie
• Universitätsmedizin Essen, Abteilung für Neuropädiatrie
• BG Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil Bochum
• Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften – ISAS e.V.
• Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC), Dortmund
• Singleron Biotechnologies GmbH, Köln

Weitere Informationen: b2b-rare.de

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Über die Klinik für Neurologie des Universitätsklinikums Düsseldorf

In der Klinik für Neurologie des Universitätsklinikums Düsseldorf (Klinikleitung: Prof. Dr. med. Dr. rer. nat. Sven Meuth; Stellvertretung: Prof. Dr. med. Tobias Ruck) wird das gesamte Spektrum neurologischer Erkrankungen bei Erwachsenen ab 18 Jahren diagnostiziert und behandelt. Insgesamt werden in der Klinik für Neurologie jährlich ca. 15000 Patient:innen stationär und ambulant behandelt (ca. 2000-2500 Patient:innen davon mit neuromuskulären Krankheitsbildern). Die Klinik ist Teil des Neuromuskulären Zentrums Nordrhein. Zudem ist die Klinik für Neurologie ein zertifiziertes Myasthenie-Zentrum. In der Klinik wird das Konzept einer engen Vernetzung von Patient:innenversorgung, klinischer Forschung und Grundlagenwissenschaft verfolgt. Das Team möchte, dadurch die Ursachen neurologischer Erkrankungen besser verstehen und neue Therapiemöglichkeiten entwickeln. Die intensive Einbindung in internationale Studien gibt die Möglichkeit, Patient:innen   Zugang zu neuesten innovativen Therapien zu verschaffen.

Weitere Informationen: www.uniklinik-duesseldorf.de

Über die Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik des BG-Universitätsklinikums Bergmannsheil

Die Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik des BG-Universitätsklinikums Bergmannsheil (Interimsleitung Prof. Dr. med. Matthias Vorgerd) befasst sich neben der klinischen Versorgung sämtlicher neurologischer Erkrankungen von Patient:innen ab einem Alter von 18 Jahren mit einem breiten Spektrum klinischer und grundlagenwissenschaftlicher Forschung. Die Klinik ist Teil des Muskelzentrums Ruhrgebiet und von der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Muskelkranke e.V. (DGM) zertifiziertes Neuromuskuläres Zentrum. Sie ist an verschiedenen nationalen und internationalen Studien beteiligt. Zudem verfügt die Klinik über ein eigenes neuromuskuläres Labor, wo diagnostische und wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen am entnommenen Skelettmuskel, Nerven und Haut durchgeführt werden.  

Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt liegt auf der Erforschung von neuromuskulären Erkrankungen (NME), die sich vor allem auf die Untersuchung von Muskel-, Nerven- und Hautbiopsien stützt. Die Forschungsaktivitäten auf dem Gebiet der NME werden durch das Heimer Institut für Muskelforschung gefördert, welches in die Organisationstruktur der Neurologischen Klinik eingeordnet ist. Diese enge Vernetzung von klinischer Arbeit, spezialisierter Labordiagnostik und grundlagenwissenschaftlicher Forschung soll zur Entwicklung neuer Behandlungsmöglichkeiten beitragen.

Über die Abteilung für Neuropädiatrie der Universitätsmedizin Essen AöR

Die Abteilung für Neuropädiatrie beschäftigt sich neben der routinediagnostischen Analyse der Muskulatur von Patient:innen auch mit der Erforschung der molekularen Ursachen der jeweiligen Krankheitsbilder. Dazu zählen die Identifikation neuer Gene, sowie die Analyse der biochemischen Ursachen neurodegenerativer und muskulärer Erkrankungen. Die Forschungsaktivitäten des neuromuskulären Labors werden hierbei durch Herrn PD Dr. rer. Nat. Andreas Roos (Adjunct Professor der University of Ottawa) und Frau Prof. Dr. med. Ulrike Schara-Schmidt geleitet. Forschungsinteressen des Muskellabors liegen auf der Identifikation von Pathomechanismen und Biomarkern für neuromuskuläre Erkrankungen mit einem ausgesprochenen Fokus auf die Nutzung von Biomaterial. Dabei steht auch die Nutzung von Biomaterialien, welche minimal-invasive gewonnen werden können, im Fokus.

Im Rahmen von translationalen Prozessen ist das neuromuskuläre Labor Bestandteil zahlreicher nationaler und internationaler Studien (clinicaltrials.gov) sowie an übergreifenden nationalen und internationalen Studien zur Genotyp-Phänotyp Korrelationen beteiligt.

Über das Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften – ISAS e.V. –

Das Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften – ISAS – e.V. entwickelt leistungsfähige Analyseverfahren für die Gesundheitsforschung. Mit seinen Innovationen trägt es dazu bei, die Prävention, Frühdiagnose und Therapie von Erkrankungen zu verbessern. Ziel des Instituts ist es, die personalisierte Therapie voranzutreiben. Dafür kombiniert das ISAS das Wissen aus Chemie, Biologie, Medizin, Pharmakologie, Physik und Informatik. Das Institut kooperiert mit nationalen und internationalen Partnern aus der Wissenschaft und Industrie.

Weitere Informationen: www.isas.de

Über die Singleron Biotechnologies GmbH

Singleron Biotechnologies fördert die Präzisionsmedizin und die menschliche Gesundheit durch wegweisende Lösungen zur Analyse von Einzelzell-Multi-Omics. Das aktuelle Produktportfolio umfasst Hochdurchsatzgeräte für die automatisierte Verarbeitung von Einzelzellen und Gewebedissoziation, Reagenzien, Bioinformatik-Software sowie eine umfassende Wissensdatenbank für Einzelzellen.

Gegründet im Jahr 2018, ist Singleron weltweit tätig und verfügt über Büros, Labore und Produktionsstätten in Deutschland, Singapur, China und den USA. Die Produkte des Unternehmens werden in über 3000 Laboren in Krankenhäusern, Forschungsinstituten und Pharmaunternehmen in mehr als 20 Ländern eingesetzt.

Weitere Informationen: www.singleron.bio. Folgen Sie uns auf LinkedIn für aktuelle Updates.

Über die Lead Discovery Center GmbH

Die Lead Discovery Center GmbH wurde 2008 von der Technologietransfer-Organisation Max-Planck-Innovation gegründet, um das Potenzial exzellenter Grundlagenforschung für die Entwicklung neuer, dringend benötigter Medikamente besser zu nutzen. LDC nimmt vielversprechende Projekte aus der akademischen Forschung auf und entwickelt sie typischerweise weiter bis zu pharmazeutischen Leitstrukturen (Proof-of-Concept in Modellsystemen) oder bis zu präklinischen Kandidaten. In enger Zusammenarbeit mit führenden Partnern aus der akademischen Forschung und Industrie entwickelt LDC ein umfangreiches Portfolio an Projekten im Bereich niedermolekularer Wirkstoffe sowie therapeutische Antikörper mit außergewöhnlich hohem medizinischem und kommerziellem Potenzial.

LDC unterhält eine enge Partnerschaft mit der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft und dem KHAN Technology Transfer Funds I + II (KHAN-I, -II). Es hat weltweit zahlreiche Kooperationen mit verschiedenen Organisationen geschlossen, u.a. AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck KGaA, Qurient, invIOs, Cumulus Oncology, Nodus Oncology, JT Pharmaceuticals, KinSea AS und den Helmholtz-Zentren, für Infektionsforschung (HZI) und dem Deutschen Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ). Das LDC arbeitet außerdem mit führenden akademischen Wirkstoffforschungszentren und Investoren zusammen, um Firmengründungen zu unterstützen.

Weitere Informationen: www.lead-discovery.de

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Scope of Collaboration

Antibody-based inhibitors have gained  relevance in the field of drug discovery due to their exceptional affinity, selectivity and physicochemical properties. Within this collaboration, Icosagen will generate, identify, and discover potent antibodies against innovative and therapeutically relevant targets, supplying them to LDC for further development.

Utilizing its proprietary technology, Icosagen will produce the proteins of interest and enhance their display on the surface of virus-like particles, which serve as vehicles for the production of antibodies with affinity for the targets. Subsequently, an extensive library will be established to facilitate the selection of high-affinity monoclonal antibodies, which will undergo further analysis at LDC through a streamlined process of high-throughput screening. This partnership highlights Icosagen’s capability to scale its proprietary platforms and synergize effectively with LDC’s workflow.

“Partnering with LDC will further help expand the opportunities for antibody therapeutics, especially in the challenging field of GPCR-targeted treatments” said professor Mart Ustav, CEO of Icosagen. “This will not only highlight our technological expertise but also perfectly aligns with our mission to transform scientific discoveries into life-changing treatments.”

“We are excited to partner up with Icosagen, a competent and highly experienced player in the field of antibody research” remarked Bert Klebl, CEO and CSO of LDC. “This project will greatly benefit from Icosagen’s expertise and state-of-the-art capabilities as we pursue our shared goal: the development of novel therapeutics that can make a meaningful difference in healthcare.”

Future Prospects

LDC takes on promising early-stage projects from academia and transforms them into innovative pharmaceutical leads and antibodies that reach initial proof-of-concept in animals as well as candidate nomination. In close collaboration with high-profile partners from research and industry, LDC is building a strong and growing portfolio of small molecule and antibody leads with exceptional medical and commercial potential. The partnership between Icosagen and LDC holds promise in advancing targeted therapeutics, with the potential to revolutionize treatment approaches and improve outcomes for patients worldwide. The successful development of these monoclonal antibodies is anticipated to significantly advance the understanding and treatment of diseases.

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About Icosagen

Icosagen is a renowned biotech company with over 20 years of experience in pioneering antibody research and production. With a strong commitment to innovation, Icosagen has developed a range of proprietary platforms for the efficient discovery, development and manufacturing of high-quality antibodies, serving the global research community and pharmaceutical industry.

Further information available at: www.icosagen.com

About LDC

Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC) was established in 2008 by the technology transfer organization Max Planck Innovation, as a novel approach to capitalize on the potential of excellent basic research for the discovery of new therapies for diseases with high medical need. LDC takes on promising early-stage projects from academia and transforms them into innovative pharmaceutical leads and antibodies that reach initial proof-of-concept in animals as well as candidate nomination. In close collaboration with high-profile partners from research and industry, LDC is building a strong and growing portfolio of small molecule and antibody leads with exceptional medical and commercial potential.

LDC sustains a long-term partnership with the Max Planck Society and its institutes as well as with KHAN-I, and has formed alliances with AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck KGaA, Daiichi Sankyo, Qurient, InvIOS, Novo Nordisk, Cumulus Oncology, Nodus Oncology, JT Pharmaceuticals, KinSea Lead Discovery AS, HLB Pharma, the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, e.g. In addition, LDC also works with leading translational drug discovery centers and with various investors to provide its assets for company creation.

Further information available at: www.lead-discovery.de

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Contact:

Lead Discovery Center GmbH
Otto-Hahn-Straße 15
44227 Dortmund, Germany
pr@lead-discovery.de
www.lead-discovery.de

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Tromsø, Norway, and Dortmund, Germany – April 25th, 2024. KinSea Lead Discovery AS, a biopharmaceutical start-up pioneering the use of marine bioactives for the treatment of human diseases, announces the successful first closing of its seed financing round. It includes an equity investment from KHAN Technology Transfer Fund I GmbH & Co KG (KHAN-I), an early-stage life sciences venture fund based in Germany, and welcomes the new investor Berners AS, a North Norwegian investment company. A year ago, KinSea had already secured a convertible loan from KHAN-I, which was recently converted into shares.

The financing enables the company to further develop its lead program, a FLT3 kinase inhibitor based on unique chemistry from marine sources, towards preclinical and clinical testing. Data from in vivo proof-of-concept studies suggest superior properties over existing FLT3 inhibitors, including potential broad activity against known drug-induced and drug-resistant FLT3 mutations, improved selectivity, and outstanding in vivo potency. The program originates from the successful collaboration of the founding partners, Arctic University of Norway (UiT), University of Bergen (UiB), Norinnova, and Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC).

‘We are grateful for the continued confidence and support from KHAN-I, and delighted to welcome Berners AS on board’, says Jeanette Hammer Andersen, CEO of KinSea. ‘This first closing validates the transformative potential of our approach. We are very committed to take our FLT3 inhibitors through the next stages of drug discovery and development in order to provide entirely new treatment options for AML patients that are safer and more effective’.

KinSea also plans to gradually expand its drug discovery pipeline and establish a diversified portfolio of high-potential drug candidates based on novel chemical scaffolds from the Arctic Ocean for the treatment of cancer and other diseases.

‘We are excited to reaffirm our commitment to KinSea and its groundbreaking work in the field of marine-derived therapeutics. The team has made significant progress over the last year, and we are convinced that their unique approach and capable team will continue to drive the maturation and expansion of their pipeline, and eventually make a meaningful impact on patients’ lives, in particular with regard to urgently needed, improved therapies for AML patients’, comments Bert Klebl, Managing Director of KHAN-I.

Mats Sæverud, CEO of Berners AS, adds: ‘In KinSea, we found an ambitious startup company that wants to make an important impact by employing natural products from the Arctic Ocean. The KinSea team has bold visions, scalable solutions, excellent expertise and skills, and fits well with Berners´ ambitions.’

KinSea has already started discussions with further investors for a second and final closing.

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Contact
Lead Discovery Center GmbH
Otto-Hahn-Straße 15
44227 Dortmund
Germany
Phone: +49 231 97 42 70 00
Mail: pr@lead-discovery.de

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About KHAN-I

KHAN Technology Transfer Fund I GmbH & Co KG (KHAN-I) is an early-stage life sciences venture fund with €70 million under management. Our mission is to create value through cooperative drug development partnerships with academic innovators in Europe. KHAN-I focuses on first-in-class therapies for attractive markets with a high unmet medical need. The fund is managed by Khanu Management GmbH, an experienced team of professionals with proven track records in early-stage drug development and academic spin-offs as well as pharma licensing and partnering. KHAN-I received an investment from the European Investment Fund (EIF) with the support of InnovFin Equity, and with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (“EFSI”) under the Investment Plan for Europe. KHANI is also supported by Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (AWS with funds provided by the Austrian

Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs and the Austrian Foundation for Research, Technology, and Development), Max Planck Foundation, and Thyssen’sche Handelsgesellschaft mbH. In addition, KHAN-I sustains a preferred partnership with the Max-Planck Society (Max-Planck Gesellschaft e.V.).

Further information at www.khanu.de

About Berners AS

Berners AS is a newly established, privately owned investment company, based in Tromsø, Norway. Through investments and active ownership, Berners will contribute to the development of profitable and sustainable businesses, especially within the seafood and marine sector. We aim to be a supporter of the development of brands and competence clusters in Northern Norway. Our investment strategy is based on our knowledge and love for the coast and the sea, and the opportunities that exist there. Berners is owned by Triko AS (80%) and Larren Invest AS (20%).

About Norinnova

Norinnova is one of Northern Norway’s most competent and experienced agencies for research commercialization. Norinnova connects researchers, start-up environments, companies and commercial actors to develop and utilize the region’s innovation power. For more than 30 years, Norinnova has worked closely with researchers and leading research communities in Northern Norway to harness the power of innovation in this region. This collaboration has contributed to the creation of brand-new businesses and has reinforced existing companies through new products and services. Norinnova secures rights, helps provide funding, investigates market potential, finds relevant partners, and contributes so that the scientists can get their product or service to the market.

Further information available at: www.norinnova.no

About LDC

Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC) was established in 2008 by the technology transfer organization Max Planck Innovation, as a novel approach to capitalize on the potential of excellent basic research for the discovery of new therapies for diseases with high medical need. LDC takes on promising early-stage projects from academia and transforms them into innovative pharmaceutical leads and antibodies that reach initial proof-of-concept in animals as well as candidate nomination. In close collaboration with high-profile partners from research and industry, LDC is building a strong and growing portfolio of small molecule and antibody leads with exceptional medical and commercial potential.

LDC sustains a long-term partnership with the Max Planck Society and its institutes as well as with KHAN-I, and has formed alliances with AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck KGaA, Daiichi Sankyo, Qurient, InvIOS, Novo Nordisk, Cumulus Oncology, Nodus Oncology, JT Pharmaceuticals, KinSea Lead Discovery AS, HLB Pharma, the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, e.g. In addition, LDC also works with leading translational drug discovery centers and with various investors to provide its assets for company creation.

Further information available at: www.lead-discovery.de

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In Parkinson’s disease, neurons in a certain region in the brain – the substantia nigra of the midbrain – die off in large numbers. The result: The transmitter dopamine is no longer produced in sufficient amounts, which leads to neurodegenerative symptoms like amyostasia, muscular rigidity or akinesia. The causes for Parkinson’s disease are multifarious. In some cases the familial Parkinson’s diseases are triggered by mutations in the so-called LRRK2 gene. Two functions of the protein encoded by the LRRK2 gene are particularly interesting: a so-called kinase and a GTPase activity, both of which have been given particular attention in studying the cause of PD.

A team of researchers led by Hans Schöler at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine (MPI) in Münster, in cooperation with the Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC) in Dortmund, will specifically search for substances that can reduce the negative effects of mutations of the LRRK2 gene. What’s special here is that while most approaches in the search for such active agents focus on kinase activity, the researchers at Max Planck will investigate GTPase.

The reasons behind this are explained by project manager Dr. Jared Sterneckert: “GTPase in the LRRK2 protein, that has been altered through mutations in the LRRK2 gene, has proven to be poisonous for neurons.” At the same time, it causes a longer activation of the mutated gene – with serious harmful consequences for the nervous tissue. “Identifying substances that inhibit the activation of GTPase will provide the first step in bringing better treatments to patients”, says Sterneckert. And another reason, according to Sterneckert, speaks for a therapeutical influence of GTPase: “The mutated GTPase also stimulates the activation of harmful kinases, for which active agents are being searched already. If we manage to find therapeutics against GTPase activation, we may simultaneously limit kinase activity.”

For the studies that have now been started, the cooperation with the active agent research organization LDC is of great importance. “We will systematically check our substance libraries for active agents that specifically hinder the activation of the GTPase”, Chief Executive Officer Dr. Bert Klebl explains. This cooperation obviously increases chances of a successful outcome in the search of new active agents, Schöler and Sterneckert are sure: “In a next step, we will be able to test such molecules on cell cultures and later design therapeutics from there,” says Sterneckert.
Contacts

Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine
Dr. Jared Sterneckert
Tel: +49 (0)251 70365 199, Email: jsternec@mpi-muenster.mpg.de
Röntgenstraße 20, 48149 Münster
Lead Discovery Center
Dr. Michael Hamacher, Head of Administration
Tel: +49 (0)231 97 42-7000, Email: info@lead-discovery.de
Emil-Figge-Straße 76a, 44227 Dortmund

Background Information

About MPI
The Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine investigates the formation of cells, tissues and organs. Scientists make use of molecular-biological and cell-biological methods in a bid to discover how cells exchange information, which molecules control their behaviour and what faults in the dialogue between cells cause diseases to develop. The work of the Institute is dedicated to three closely intertwined areas. One field in which the Institute is active is stem cell research. Scientists study how stem cells can be generated and how they might be used to treat diseases. Another research area is that of inflammation processes, where one of the objectives is to fully understand the effects of blood poisoning. The third field of research is blood vessel growth, with the aim of identifying new targets for the development of therapies: blood vessels play an important role in many illnesses.
About LDC
The Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC) was founded by Max Planck Innovation and the Max Planck Society, to better make use of the potential of excellent basic research. The aim is to professionally transfer promising research projects into the design of new medication.

With a team of experienced scientists, drug developers and project managers, the LDC offers all the services in the field of Drug Discovery – from Target (biological target structure) to Lead (chemical lead structure) – according to the highest industry standards. Being an independent, commercially oriented company, LDC works on the interface of research and application. Focus lies on finding new active agents, especially so-called low molecular chemical substances. To this end, the LDC works closely together with research institutes, universities and the industry: It takes on promising research projects in early stages of development and, together with its partners, further develops them to get pharmaceutical active agents that already reach a “Proof-of-Concept” in animal studies and therefore meet a great demand in the industry.
About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
As the world’s largest private funder of Parkinson’s research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson’s disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson’s patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding over $238 million in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson’s research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; increases Parkinson’s awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world.

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DORTMUND, Germany; and VANCOUVER, Canada – June 28, 2011:  The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) and the Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC), two leading drug discovery and development centres supporting the commercialization of research from academic institutions across Canada , from select global partners, and from Germany’s Max Planck Institutes, today announced they have signed a Partnership Agreement to enable joint development of promising innovations from their broad networks. The agreement includes sharing infrastructure and expertise from LDC’s and CDRD’s powerful drug development platforms in order to support the organizations’ shared objective of successfully translating basic research into high-quality commercial opportunities  – and ultimately into new medicines that will benefit patients around the world.

Both CDRD and LDC were established in response to the recognition that it has become more and more difficult in recent years to commercialize academic health research. CDRD and LDC therefore utilize their own state-of-the-art facilities and highly-specialized business and scientific expertise as well as their broader research networks to advance innovative drug discovery projects from their affiliated research institutions to a point where they become viable investment opportunities for the private sector. In doing so, they successfully bridge the innovation and commercialization gap between academia and industry.

Karimah Es Sabar, Senior Vice President, Business & Strategic Affairs at CDRD commented, “At CDRD, we recognize that achieving our vision of transforming the culture of scientific innovation and commercialization impacting human health requires partnerships between industry and academia on a global scale. We are therefore extremely pleased to be able to expand our international alliances by establishing this formal working relationship with a world-class and highly-respected organization such as LDC. By adding LDC as an important and accomplished international partner, we are taking another step toward realizing CDRD’s mission of transforming scientific innovation into commercial opportunities globally.”

“The collaboration between LDC and CDRD will bring new expertise and tools to the already strong Max Planck network that we work with”, said Co-CEO Bert Klebl of LDC. “There are very few organizations in the world that can truly take an early basic research idea and effectively translate it into a technology that will capture the attention of industry and venture capital companies. With CDRD, we have a partner that has developed impressive expertise in drug development and a strong network of partners that we can now count on to further accelerate our own in-house relationships and expertise. We see this as an important trans-atlantic partnership that could form the foundation of a broader, global alliance of leading drug discovery and development centres.”
About CDRD
The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) (www.cdrd.ca), a not-for-profit public-private organization based in Vancouver, Canada, provides drug development expertise and infrastructure to enable researchers from leading academic and health research institutions to advance promising, early-stage drug candidates.  The Government of Canada’s Networks of Centres of Excellence program has recognized CDRD as a Centre of Excellence in Commercialization in Research (CECR). CDRD currently has an existing portfolio of close to 80 supported projects generated from its network of 20+ affiliated research institutions. These institutions represent billions invested in health-related research every year, and CDRD plays a pivotal role in translating that research into commercial products and economic returns including new jobs for British Columbia and Canada.  For more information please visit www.cdrd.ca

About LDC
The Lead Discovery Center (LDC), a limited liability company based in Dortmund, Germany, was jointly developed by Max Planck Innovation and the Max Planck Society as a novel approach to advance findings from excellent basic research into the development of medicines.

With a world-class team of drug discovery experts and seasoned managers, the LDC offers the full scope of drug discovery services – from target to lead – according to the highest industry standards. As an independent enterprise with an entrepreneurial outlook, it is positioned as a translational drug discovery center specialized in small molecule drug discovery. LDC collaborates with research institutions and universities as well as with industry. The aim is to transform promising and early-stage projects into pharmaceutical leads that reach initial proof-of-concept in animals and that meet the increasing need for novel therapeutic agents.
www.lead-discovery.de
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For additional information, please contact:

Barry Gee
Director, Communications
Centre for Drug Research and Development
(604) 221-7750 x 223
bgee@cdrd.ca

Thomas Hegendoerfer
Head of Business Development
Lead Discovery Center
+49 (0)231 97 42-7000
info@lead-discovery.de

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Dortmund, April 18, 2011 — The Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC), based in Dortmund, Germany, a spin-off from Max-Planck-Innovation GmbH (MI) in Munich, with expertise in small molecule pharmaceutical drug discovery, has successfully licensed its first lead structure to a pharma partner. The agreement grants Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Germany (Bayer Health-Care Pharmaceuticals) a world-wide and exclusive license to intellectual property rights and know-how. Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals will work on the lead structure with the goal to advance a product into clinical development and a marketed product in the field of oncology.

The licensed lead structure belongs to a series of novel and highly selective kinase inhibitor compounds that have been developed by LDC in a project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Max-Planck-Foundation. This project emerged from a collaboration of LDC with research groups from the Westfälische Wilhelms-University of Münster (Prof. Dr. Michael Meisterernst) and the Max-Planck-Institute for Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg (Dr. Gerhard Mittler).

Kinases are key components of biochemical signalling pathways that control cellular growth, metabolism and differentiation. They have therefore become prime targets of drug discovery and development for the treatment of many diseases, especially in oncology. „Our lead structure is a highly selective and potent inhibitor of a certain kinase that is known to play a crucial role in multiple indications. The in vivo efficacy proven in several animal models emphasizes the quality of the lead structure and its potential for further development into novel therapy options” says Dr. Peter Nussbaumer, one of the two managing directors at the LDC. „The partnership between LDC and Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals provides a perfect match to advance our findings into therapeutic application”, adds the other managing director, Dr. Bert Klebl.

LDC will receive a significant upfront payment and milestone payments under the terms of the agreement. Milestone payments to LDC may aggregate to 82.5 million Euros in development milestones and 55 million Euros in sales milestones. In addition, LDC is eligible to receive royalty payments on net sales of products once marketed.

„We are highly pleased that Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, the largest German pharmaceutical company with a focus on innovative cancer therapies, will develop the licensed lead structure further to bring it to the patients. This agreement demonstrates that the LDC is capable to deliver the aimed high quality standards and that LDC’s lead structures are attractive licensing assets for pharma.” states Dr. Dieter Link, licensing manager at Max-Planck-Innovation GmbH. „As a translational drug discovery entity, it is LDC’s ultimate mission, to fill the gap between excellent basic academic research and industrial application to provide novel therapeutic drugs. This first licensing deal is an important milestone reached by the LDC and its dedicated staff. It clearly confirms LDC’s business model.”

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Lead Discovery Center and Merck KGaA Enter Collaboration for the Discovery of Anti-Cancer Compounds

Research collaboration may realize the potential of kinase inhibitors as a means for cancer treatments in the future

January 20, 2011, Dortmund, Germany — The Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC), a small molecule drug discovery spin-off of Max Planck Innovation GmbH, announced today that it has signed a cooperation agreement with Merck KGaA for the discovery of kinase inhibitors as potential cancer treatments.

The collaboration is supported by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under the BioPharma initiative to strengthen the pharmaceutical value chain in Germany.

Using an innovative kinase technology platform originating from the Chemical Genomics Centre of the Max Planck Society (CGC, Dortmund), Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, and the LDC aim to identify inhibitory compounds against at least one undisclosed kinase target and advance them through the drug discovery process up to pharmaceutical lead compounds.

Kinases are key components of biochemical signalling pathways that control cellular growth, metabolism and differentiation. They have therefore become prime targets for drug discovery and development in many diseases, especially in oncology. “Our proprietary technology allows for the identification of innovative allosteric kinase inhibitors that hold strong potential for improved potency and selectivity,” says Prof. Dr. Daniel Rauh, group leader at the CGC. “We are excited about the alliance between the LDC and Merck Serono as it provides us with the unique chance to translate our approach into application.”

Under the terms of the agreement, the LDC and Merck Serono will work closely together, with each partner contributing its particular expertise and infrastructure as well as their own resources in the fields of assay development, screening, medicinal chemistry and pharmacology.

“We are delighted about this agreement with the LDC and believe that this collaboration has a great potential to provide the basis for the development of further treatment options in oncology,” said Dr. Bernhard Kirschbaum, Executive Vice President, Research and Development, at Merck Serono.

“Merck Serono is a recognized leader in drug discovery and development and we are extremely pleased to team up with them,” Dr. Bert Klebl, Managing Director of the LDC, adds. “The alliance is a major milestone for the LDC and could well become a role model for highly efficient and professional collaboration between academia and industry. It verifies LDC’s positioning as a translational research center with the aim of leveraging excellent academic research for industrial application and the development of medicines.”

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Contacts

Contact for the Lead Discovery Center
Thomas Hegendörfer, Head of Business Development
Tel: +49 231 97 42-7000, Email: info@lead-discovery.de
Emil-Figge-Straße 76a, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
Contact for the Chemical Genomics Center
Prof. Dr. Daniel Rauh
Tel: +49 231 9742 6480, Email: daniel.rauh@cgc.mpg.de
Otto-Hahn-Str. 15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany

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Notes to editors

About the LDC
The Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC, www.lead-discovery.de) was jointly developed by Max Planck Innovation and the Max Planck Society as a novel approach to advance findings from excellent basic research into the development of medicines.

With a world-class team of drug discovery experts and seasoned managers, the LDC offers the full scope of drug discovery services – from target to lead – according to the highest industry standards. As an independent enterprise with an entrepreneurial outlook, it is positioned as a translational research center specialized in small molecule drug discovery. LDC collaborates with research institutions and universities as well as with industry. The aim is to transform promising and early-stage projects into pharmaceutical leads that reach initial proof-of-concept in animals and that meet the increasing need for novel therapeutic agents.

The LDC forms the core of Max Planck Innovation’s Drug Discovery & Development Center (DDC) that won the “BioPharma strategy competition for medicine of the future”, a support program of the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

About the CGC
The Chemical Genomics Centre is an initiative of the Max Planck Society in cooperation with four companies. It stands for high quality research and strong collaborations between industry and Max Planck research. Key to the research strategy of the CGC is that chemical and biological expertise are being combined and interconnected. Within the CGC small molecules are developed as modulating ligands for proteins enabling cell biological studies of biological systems and the understanding of the function of gene products.

About the BioPharma Initiative
The nationwide “BioPharma strategy competition for medicine of the future” is the key element of The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung – BMBF) “Pharmaceuticals Initiative for Germany”. The “BioPharma” strategy competition aims to promote innovative partnerships between academic institutions, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in order to strengthen the pharmaceutical value chain in Germany.

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