HALLE (SAALE),
Germany, UTRECHT, The Netherlands, 5 December 2017 - Probiodrug
AG (Euronext Amsterdam: PBD), a biopharmaceutical company
developing novel therapeutic solutions to treat Alzheimer's disease
(AD), and the Dutch biotech company Crossbeta Biosciences B.V.,
announced today that they have extended their strategic partnership
regarding the use of Crossbeta's proprietary technology for
biomarker development, in support of Probiodrug's clinical program
in Alzheimer's disease.
The companies first established
the partnership in 2016. Since then, the very challenging program,
focused on oligomer-specific biomarker assays and diagnostics, has
made excellent progress and has successfully met all critical
milestones. By leveraging the pivotal role of protein oligomers in
AD pathology, the partners are aiming to develop a truly
disease-specific AD biomarker and diagnostic with prognostic
clinical value.
Inge Lues, Chief
Development Officer of Probiodrug, commented: "Our partnership
with Crossbeta has granted us access to a truly unique technology
which has proven to be crucially important for the development of
high-quality biomarker assays, with adequate sensitivity and
specificity to support and further the clinical program of
Probiodrug's QC inhibitor PQ912."
Guus Scheefhals,
Chief Executive Officer of Crossbeta, added: "We are very
pleased about the extension of our partnership with Probiodrug. It
is an honor being able to contribute to Probiodrug's exciting and
encouraging therapeutic program in AD with our proprietary
technology. In case of successful achievement of our goals, not
only many other scientists and companies will benefit from the
availability of this novel, prognostic biomarker and diagnostic,
but it will bring urgently needed benefit to AD patients."
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For more
information please contact:
Probiodrug
Dr Konrad Glund, CEO
Email: contact@probiodrug.de
Optimum Strategic
Communications
Mary Clark, Supriya Mathur, Hollie Vile
Tel: +44 (0) 203 714 1787
Email: probiodrug@OptimumComms.com
The Trout
Group
Tricia Truehart
Tel: +1 (646) 378-2953
Email: ttruehart@troutgroup.com
MC Services AG
Anne Hennecke, Caroline Bergmann
Tel: +49 (0) 211 529 252 20
Email: probiodrug@mc-services.eu
Crossbeta Biosciences
BV
Guus Scheefhals, CEO
Phone: +31 30 760 1262
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 (AD). Probiodrug has identified a new
therapeutic concept linked to disease initiation and progression.
The development approaches are targeting a key neuro/synaptotoxic
component of the pathology, pyroglutamate-Abeta (pGlu-Abeta, N3pG)
as a therapeutic strategy.
Probiodrug's lead product
candidate, PQ912, is a highly specific and potent inhibitor of
Glutaminyl Cyclase (QC), the enzyme catalyzing the formation of
synaptotoxic pGlu-Abeta. PQ912 has shown therapeutic effects in AD
animal models. A Phase 1 study in healthy young and elderly
volunteers revealed a dose dependent exposure and showed good
safety and tolerability up to the highest dose with >90% target
occupancy in the spinal fluid. In June 2017, Probiodrug announced
top-line data of the Phase 2a SAPHIR trial of PQ912 and presented
the study results at CTAD 2017. The positive effects seen on
secondary exploratory efficacy markers are strongly supporting (a)
the hypothesis of pGlu-Abeta being synaptotoxic and (b) the
therapeutic concept pursued by Probiodrug. The study revealed a
positive benefit risk ratio of PQ912 and provides important
guidance how to move forward in the development of PQ912 as a
disease-modifying drug for AD. Altogether, the results make the
program highly attractive for further development; the company has
initiated the preparation of a Phase 2b core program.
Probiodrug is developing PBD-C06,
an anti-pGlu-Abeta-specific monoclonal antibody, complementary to
the small molecule PQ912. The Company has medical use and
composition of matter patents related to the inhibition of QC and
anti-pGlu-Abeta-specific monoclonal antibodies, and has, in the
Company's view, a leading position in this field of research.
Founded in 1997 by Hans-Ulrich
Demuth and Konrad Glund, 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. Today, Probiodrug aims to become a leading company in the
development of AD treatments and to thereby provide a better life
for Alzheimer's disease patients.
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, 47 million people live with dementia worldwide, and this
number is projected to treble to more than 131 million by 2050, as
the global population ages. Dementia also has a huge economic
impact. Alzheimer's has an estimated, global societal cost of US$
818 billion, and it will become a trillion dollar disease by 2018.
(World Alzheimer Report 2016).
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.