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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Dortmund, December 05, 2013 – The Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC) announces today that an innovative kinase inhibitor program licensed to Bayer Pharma AG, Germany (Bayer) in 2011, has been progressed to clinical trials. By 2012, Bayer had successfully advanced a lead compound from the program to the preclinical development stage. This fall, Bayer enrolled the first participant into a Phase I study to determine the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic profile in patients with advanced cancer.

This is the first example of a program initiated and developed up to a lead structure stage by the LDC and its academic partners to progress into “First-in-Man” clinical trials. The licensed program included a lead structure from a chemical series of selective kinase inhibitors with potential for improving cancer treatment originally discovered by LDC. This lead structure was further optimized by Bayer scientists to provide a candidate suitable for clinical development.

“We are extremely pleased to see this program progressed by Bayer into Phase I clinical trials. This is a significant milestone which confirms our approach and encourages us further to commit all our energy into the development of our portfolio,” said Dr Bert Klebl, Managing Director & Chief Scientific Officer of LDC. “My thanks go to my dedicated colleagues from the LDC as well as to our academic collaboration partners. We have worked together very productively to rapidly transfer this novel approach from academic research to a lead structure with preclinical proof of concept. We are also grateful to the Bayer team for moving this program quickly forward from the lead structure into Phase I clinical testing.”

According to the partners’ agreement, the LDC receives an additional predefined payment on achievement of this milestone. The revenues will be shared with the LDC’s academic partners and the Max-Planck-Förderstiftung, which co-funded the early project development. Milestone payments to LDC may aggregate up to 82.5 million Euros in development milestones and up to 55 million Euros in sales milestones. In addition, LDC is eligible to receive royalty payments on net sales of products once marketed.

About the kinase inhibitor program:
The licensed lead structure belongs to a series of novel and highly selective kinase inhibitors that have initially been developed by LDC in a project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Max-Planck-Förderstiftung. This program emerged from a collaboration between the LDC and 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 signaling 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.

About LDC:
The Lead Discovery Center (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 that reach initial proof-of-concept in animals. In close collaboration with high-profile partners from academia and industry, LDC is building a strong and growing portfolio of small molecule leads with exceptional medical and commercial potential. LDC sustains a preferred partnership with the Max Planck Society and has formed alliances with AstraZeneca, Bayer and Merck Serono as well as leading academic drug discovery centers around the globe.
Further information at: www.lead-discovery.de

Contact
Lead Discovery Center
Thomas Hegendörfer
T. +49.231.97 42 70 02
E. hegendoerfer@lead-discovery.de

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Dortmund, Germany, October 31, 2013 – Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC) a renowned translational research organization, today announced a five-year strategic partnership with Merck Serono, Darmstadt, Germany, the biopharmaceutical division of Merck. This collaboration integrates the expertise and resources of both organizations to expedite the discovery of promising lead structures and to optimize the development of therapeutic candidates in areas of high unmet medical need.

Under the terms of this agreement, Merck Serono and LDC will enter into a broader drug discovery collaboration aiming to identify lead candidates to multiple drug targets. Merck Serono hereby expands a successful initial collaboration with LDC in oncology into a strategic partnership spanning across all of Merck Serono’s core research and development areas. The first project under the new agreement will be in immunology and emerged from an ongoing collaboration of LDC with the Max-Planck researcher and Nobel Laureate Prof. Robert Huber.

“Merck Serono is a recognized leader in drug discovery and development with a strong research base in Germany and shares our rigorous approach to pursuing the most promising lead candidates,” said Dr. Bert Klebl, Managing Director of LDC. “We are excited to extend our collaboration with Merck Serono into a strategic alliance combining our complementary expertise to translate academic research into promising drug candidates at an accelerated rate, and with a greater chance of therapeutic success.”

“This partnership is a key element of our strategy to access alliances with leading partners to enhance our pipeline of novel targets and drug candidates,” said Dr. Susan Jane Herbert, Executive Vice President, Head of Business Development and Strategy at Merck Serono. “We are confident that the combination of LDC’s strong academic network and high innovation potential in chemical optimization and screening, combined with the drug development and clinical trial expertise of Merck Serono, has the potential to accelerate our joint development of new therapies in areas of high unmet medical needs.”

Both organizations will contribute expertise, infrastructure and resources to identify lead candidates and will work closely together in interdisciplinary project teams to advance them into pharmaceutical leads. More specifically, LDC will drive the design, screening and synthesis of compounds during discovery phases, while Merck Serono will provide extended in vitro and in vivo pharmacological profiling, scale up, pre-clinical and pharmacokinetics as well as clinical study design expertise. Merck Serono will be responsible for drug development and commercialization for selected drug candidates. Under the terms of the agreement, LDC will receive research funding, and for selected drug candidates, milestone and royalty payments. Further financial details of the agreement are not disclosed.

Contacts

Merck Serono

Andrea Marquart

T. +49.6151.72 6517

Lead Discovery Center
Thomas Hegendörfer
T. +49.231.97 42 70 02
E. hegendoerfer@lead-discovery.de

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March 12, 2013, Dortmund/ Martinsried, Germany and Gyeonggi-do, Korea – The Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry (MPIB), the Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC) and Qurient Co., Ltd have entered into a license agreement providing Qurient with world-wide, exclusive rights to a new kinase inhibitor for the treatment of metastatic cancer.

The lead compound belongs to a family of highly selective Axl kinase inhibitors that was jointly developed by LDC and Max-Planck researchers around Prof. Axel Ullrich at MPIB. Together they have shown that the new Axl kinase inhibitor interferes with key mechanisms of metastasis formation and significantly reduces the number of metastases in-vivo. The project originally emerged from a collaboration of MPIB with Vichem Chemie Research Ltd.

During the coming year, Qurient, LDC and MPIB will work closely together to ensure a smooth transition of the project into preclinical and clinical development at Qurient. The company plans to continue the project at least to clinical proof-of-concept before sublicensing it to a partner for further development and marketing. Under the terms of the agreement, LDC and MPIB will receive an upfront payment as well as milestone and royalty payments, in line with the project’s progress.

This agreement would not have been possible without the support of Max Planck Innovation, the technology transfer organization of the Max Planck Society.

The new Axl kinase inhibitor addresses a severe unmet medical need. According to the WHO, the number of cancer deaths worldwide is still on the rise, with 13.1 million deaths predicted in 2030. Up to 90% of cancer deaths are thought to be due to metastasis. So far, there is no effective treatment available for metastasis, and there are only very few projects under development.

“It is a very exciting opportunity for Qurient to develop a promising Axl kinase inhibitor discovered at the world renowned research institutes LDC and MPIB,” says Kiyean Nam, CSO of Qurient. “This program will be a front runner in our strategy to turn cancer into a chronic disease enabling patients to lead a normal life style.”

Axel Ullrich, Director at MPIB comments: “We are delighted that we have concluded an agreement with such a competent partner. This partnership will be crucial to rapidly advance this completely novel approach to fight cancer to a successful product. While certain genetically well characterized cancers can be treated effectively today, metastasis formation remains a key threat to patients’ lives. A drug based on this novel mechanism of action will hopefully improve the quality of life of numerous cancer patients in the future.”

“Our new Axl kinase inhibitor addresses this challenging field, which has fallen behind in the industry’s development pipelines,” adds Bert Klebl, CEO of LDC. “With Qurient we have now attracted a partner who has not only the expertise and capability, but also the drive to move such an exciting project forward and help realize the potential of academic innovation for patients who lack satisfactory treatment options.”

About Qurient:

Starting operation in 2009, Qurient is a venture capital funded spin-off biotechnology company of Institut Pasteur Korea (IPK) and dedicated to developing novel therapeutics for unmet medical needs. Qurient has in-house expertise in research and development project management and operates in a large part as a development management company using its network of drug development capabilities.

Qurient works from discovery to human proof-of-concept programs, where transformation takes place from a high potential research program into a solid product portfolio. Further information available at: www.qurient.com

About MPIB:

The Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry (MPIB) is an international basic research institute elucidating the structure and function of proteins to better understand cellular mechanisms as well the pathogenesis of diseases such as cancer, diabetes or Alzheimer’s as well as to develop new strategies for therapy. With around 850 employees, the Institute is one of the largest biologically-medically oriented research institutes of the Max Planck Society. Since the founding of the Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry in 1972, MPIB scientists have twice been awarded the Nobel Prize.

The research of the Axel Ullrich lab is especially focused on the molecular analysis of cellular signal transduction mechanisms such as receptor tyrosine kinases and their role in cancer.

Further information available at: www.biochem.mpg.de/ullrich

Contacts

Qurient
Kiyean Nam
T. + 82.31.80 18 83 70
E. knam@qurient.com

Lead Discovery Center
Thomas Hegendörfer
T. +49.231.97 42 70 02
E. hegendoerfer@lead-discovery.de

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Brussels/Leiden/Dortmund, 12 February 2013: LDC is Consortium Partner in €196 million backed European Lead Factory

Large pharmaceutical companies join forces with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and academia in an IMI-supported public private partnership (PPP) to enhance early drug discovery and so address the ever-increasing need for innovative therapeutics to tackle unmet medical needs.

The European Lead Factory, a novel platform for innovative drug discovery, was launched early February by an international consortium of 30 partners including the Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC). LDC is an expert in the discovery and generation of small molecule lead series by translating basic research results in close collaboration with the academic partners into developable and commercially relevant assets and pharmaceutical application. As part of its fully integrated drug discovery, LDC has cutting-edge expertise in medicinal chemistry including computational chemistry. Within the European Lead Factory the LDC will take part in the design of the novel public compound library by applying its industry-standard cheminformatics, design and medicinal chemistry know-how.

Pharmaceutical companies have vast libraries of compounds which can be screened in the hunt for potential medicines. To date, access to these compound libraries was highly restricted. As part of the European Lead Factory, the 7 participating pharmaceutical companies will contribute at least 300 000 chemical compounds from their corporate chemical collections. A library of an estimated additional 200 000 novel compounds will be developed jointly by academia and SMEs. Together, the two libraries will form a Joint European Compound Collection consisting of up to half a million compounds that will be accessible to all project partners and to public organisations offering promising new targets for drug discovery screening. These target proposals will be selected through competitive calls.

An equally important part of the European Lead Factory is the European Screening Centre, which will assist public contributors of novel targets in the development of tests amenable to the requirements of industrialised screening methodology. Both the sites in Scotland and the Netherlands will run state of the art facilities for compound logistics and high throughput screening to respectively handle the 500 000-strong compound library and to evaluate new compounds that are active against the novel targets.

The total budget for the project amounts to around €196 million. Of this, €80 million comes from the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7), and €91 million is provided as in kind contributions from the participating companies that are members of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). The remaining €25 million comes from other contributions from the non-EFPIA participants.

IMI Executive Director Michel Goldman commented: ‘IMI is very excited by the launch of the European Lead Factory. This unique project is an excellent example of how a public-private partnership can transform the way in which the pharmaceutical sector identifies new medicines. For the first time, it will give European researchers unprecedented access to industry chemical collections and facilitate the translation of their findings into actual treatments for patients. This project will not only advance the chances of success in the discovery of new medicines by European researchers, but also add value by building research capacity in Europe.’

‘The European Lead Factory is an unprecedented innovative model in early drug discovery combining strengths of academia and industry. It is exciting for us to participate in this seminal public private partnership and to contribute our expertise to the success of this ambitious project. ’ says Peter Nussbaumer, Managing Director of the LDC.

Bayer HealthCare will be the coordinator from the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) for this IMI project. The Netherlands based non-profit organization TI Pharma will facilitate the overall scientific governance of this new project and is heading the European Consortium’s Screening efforts. Taros Chemicals is heading the European consortium’s chemistry effort.

About the Innovative Medicines Initiative
The Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) is the world’s largest public-private partnership in health. IMI is improving the environment for pharmaceutical innovation in Europe by engaging and supporting networks of industrial and academic experts in collaborative research projects. The European Union contributes €1 billion to the IMI research programme, and this is matched by in kind contributions worth at least another €1 billion from the member companies of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). The Innovative Medicines Initiative currently supports 40 projects, many of which are already producing impressive results. The projects all address major bottlenecks in drug development, and so will accelerate the development of safer and more effective treatments for patients. 

Notes to Editors

The research leading to these results has received support from the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking under grant agreement n° 115489, resources of which are composed of financial contribution from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) and EFPIA companies’ in kind contribution.’

Project partners

EFPIA companies

Bayer Pharma AG, Germany

AstraZeneca AB, Sweden

H. Lundbeck A/S, Denmark

Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, a Pharmaceutical Company of Johnson & Johnson, Belgium

Merck KGaA, Germany

Sanofi, Germany

UCB Pharma SA, Belgium

Universities, research organisations, public bodies, non-profit groups

Foundation Top Institute Pharma (Stichting Top Instituut Pharma), the Netherlands
Leiden University, the Netherlands
Max Planck Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften E.V., Germany
Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Stichting Het Nederlands Kanker Instituut, the Netherlands
Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
Universität Duisburg-Essen, Germany
University of Dundee, UK
University of Groningen, the Netherlands
University of Leeds, UK
University of Nottingham, UK
University of Oxford, UK
VU-University Amsterdam, the Netherlands

SMEs

BioCity Scotland Ltd, UK
ChemAxon, Hungary
Edelris S.A.S, France
Gabo:Mi Gesellschaft fur Ablauforganisation:Milliarium Mbh & Co Kg, Germany
Lead Discovery Center GmbH, Germany
Mercachem B.V., the Netherlands
Pivot Park Screening Centre B.V, the Netherlands
Sygnature Discovery Limited, UK
Syncom, the Netherlands
Taros Chemicals GmbH & Co KG, Germany

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Dortmund, January 25, 2013 – The Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC) and AstraZeneca have joined forces to discover new medicines for the treatment of human diseases with high unmet medical need. Through a two-year collaboration, AstraZeneca will add 250,000 high-quality compounds to LDC’s internal screening collection to pursue projects in the areas of oncology, neuroscience, respiratory and inflammation, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and infection research.

The LDC will identify compounds from the combined collection that show activity against a portfolio of high-potential targets carefully selected by LDC from its broad range of academic partner institutions, including members of the Max Planck Society, Germany’s leading basic research organization. A joint steering committee will oversee the collaboration and review the output. LDC will take the most promising compounds into further drug discovery by optimizing them into pharmaceutical leads with in vivo proof-of-concept. AstraZeneca will have a preferred right to obtain a license for pre-clinical and clinical development and commercialization. Terms will be agreed individually to ensure a fair balance of investments, risks and potential returns between the partners.

Steve Rees, VP of Screening Sciences at AstraZeneca, commented: “The collaboration with LDC is part of an ongoing strategy to establish close relationships with leading academic drug discovery centres to support the generation of quality lead series for important and novel drug targets. We believe that the sharing of industry and academic expertise in precompetitive collaborations will greatly enhance the ability to bring novel drug targets into pharmaceutical discovery.”

Dr Bert Klebl, CEO of the LDC, adds: “We maintain a long-term relationship with AstraZeneca as a member of LDC’s Industrial Advisory Board. Getting access to this collection of high-quality screening compounds will now further increase the chances of success of our early drug discovery projects. This deal takes our partnership to the next level where our combined resources, expertise, and capabilities will accelerate the translation of academic findings into new medicines.”

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About the LDC
The Lead Discovery Center (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.
With a world-class team of interdisciplinary scientists, drug discovery experts, pharmacologists and seasoned project managers, the LDC takes on promising early-stage projects from academia and transforms them into innovative pharmaceutical leads that reach initial proof-of-concept in animals.
In close collaboration with high-profile partners from academia and industry, the LDC is building a strong and further growing portfolio of small molecule leads with exceptional medical and commercial potential.

About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business with a primary focus on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines for gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory and inflammation, oncology and infectious disease. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.

Contacts
Lead Discovery Center
Thomas Hegendörfer
T. +49.231.97 42 70 02
E. hegendoerfer@lead-discovery.de

AstraZeneca
Florian Dieckmann
T. +49 (0)4103 708 3720
E. Florian.Dieckmann@astrazeneca.com

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London, United Kingdom and Dortmund – January 21, 2013 –  Six of the world’s top translational health research centres today announced that they have come together to form a new Global Alliance of Leading Drug Discovery and Development Centres. The aim of this alliance is to strengthen the international academic and/or not-for-profit drug development and commercialization network to ultimately improve the rate at which academic research is translated into new medicines.

The founding organizations are:
•    The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD), Canada
•    Lead Discovery Center (LDC), Germany
•    The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, United States
•    The Centre for Drug Design and Discovery (CD3), KU Leuven, Belgium
•    Medical Research Council Technology, United Kingdom
•    Cancer Research Technology, United Kingdom

All member organizations are fully-integrated translational centres capable of professionally advancing drug discovery projects along the value chain from idea to drug candidate with proof-of-concept.  Together, they represent close to 400 experienced drug developers collaborating with tens of thousands of academic scientists around the globe on over 165 highly innovative therapeutic projects targeting significant unmet medical needs. For the biopharmaceutical industry, they represent a major source of innovation. Numerous alliances with many of the industry’s leading global companies have been established to develop resulting drug candidates further and ultimately make them available to patients.

Through this Alliance, member organizations will collaborate on mutually-beneficial projects, share best practices, expertise and resources, and develop common standards and performance measurements – ultimately working together to improve the conversion of global early-stage technology into much needed therapies.

Karimah Es Sabar, President and CEO of CDRD commented, “We see a multitude of translational research initiatives around the world, but until now, these have for the most part, worked in isolation of one another. This Alliance will be a powerful vehicle in bringing such organizations together, leveraging one another’s strengths, and ultimately making for a much more effective global translational research environment.”

Dr. Bert Klebl, Managing Director and Chief Scientific Officer of the Lead Discovery Centre added, “This Alliance of outstanding Drug Discovery Centres will help us to accelerate the translation of academic results into new therapies around the globe. By joining forces and sharing complementary expertise and infrastructure, we will be even more effective in closing the gap between basic research and industry to the benefit of patients.”

For additional information on the Global Alliance of Leading Drug Discovery and Development Centres, please visit: www.drugdevelopmentalliance.org

Contacts:
Thomas Hegendörfer
Head of Business Development
Lead Discovery Center (LDC)
hegendoerfer@lead-discovery.de

or

Barry Gee
Director, Communications
The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD)
bgee@cdrd.ca

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