Probiodrug Hosts International Symposium “Neurodegenerative Disorders During Aging – Contemporary Research and New Therapies”

Halle/Saale, November 12, 2010 — Probiodrug AG (Probiodrug), a biotech company developing novel concepts and products for the treatment of neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases with a particular focus on Alzheimer’s disease, today announced it will host an international symposium on the latest insights in neurodegenerative disorders during aging and new therapeutic strategies to combat these diseases.

The public symposium entitled “Neurodegenerative Disorders During Aging – Contemporary Research and New Therapies” will take place on Weinberg Campus in Halle (Saale) on Monday, November 22, 2010 from 10am to 3pm.*

Speakers will include well-known Alzheimer researchers from Germany (Christian Haass, Stephan v. Hörsten, Marcus Fändrich, Thomas Bayer, Steffen Roßner, and Stephan Schilling), the U.S. (Cynthia Lemere, Lennart Mucke, Steve Jacobsen), Austria (Reinhold Schmidt), and Japan (Takaomi Saido). Lectures will feature novel insights into aging and neurodegeneration as well as latest findings on the role of N-truncated Abeta peptides in the onset of Alzheimer‘s disease. The detailed program can be found on Probiodrug‘s website or by clicking http://redir.ec/abeta.

„We are very pleased to offer an impressive program of lectures by leading international Alzheimer researchers,“ said Prof Dr Hans-Ulrich Demuth, Chief Scientific Officer of Probiodrug AG. “Meanwhile, there is a rapidly growing body of evidence for the hypothesis first pursued by Probiodrug that A? peptides carrying an N-terminal pyroglutamic residue are the major culprits in the onset of Alzheimer‘s disease. The symposium will reflect this development by introducing the latest research findings as well as further diagnostic and therapeutic concepts.“

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by neuron loss, neuroinflammation and the accumulation of neuritic plaques in the brain of AD patients. It has been discovered by Probiodrug that N-terminally modified A? peptides are prone to form seeds of these toxic depositions. These modified peptides are formed through a previously unknown catalytic activity of the enzyme glutaminyl cyclase (QC). Based on these findings, Probiodrug has developed a novel therapeutic concept for AD involving small molecule inhibitors of QC.

About Probiodrug AG

Probiodrug is a leading biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of innovative small molecule drugs against novel molecular targets for the treatment of neuronal and inflammatory diseases. Probiodrug is validating new targets to develop first and best in class therapeutics in disease areas with high unmet medical needs. The Company has a dominant position in the area of glutaminyl cyclase inhibition. Glutaminyl cyclase a novel enzyme target discovered and patented by Probiodrug has a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as well as other inflammatory disease conditions. The company is also pursuing additional novel targets to treat inflammatory diseases.

Probiodrug is backed by institutions such as BB Biotech, Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, Goodvent/IBG, HBM, TVM, Life Sciences Partners, Biogen Idec Ventures, CFH Group and private investors.

Probiodrug’s core expertise is based on its long-standing, unique expertise in the elucidation of the structure and function of enzymes which play a central role in the maturation of hormones. The Company has pioneered the field of DP4-inhibition for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Compounds and technology patents of its DP4 (dipeptidyl peptidase 4) program in diabetes were licensed to various pharmaceutical companies. In 2004, all metabolic assets were sold to (OSI) Pharmaceuticals Ltd. The first drug based on Probiodrug`s technologies reached the market in late 2006. Proceeds of the various transactions have been reinvested to fund the novel approach for the treatment of AD and inflammatory diseases.

The Company was founded in 1997 by Prof Dr Hans-Ulrich Demuth and Dr Konrad Glund. Probiodrug has raised EUR 56 mio with the latest round of EUR 36 mio concluded in November 2009. In 2007, the company acquired Ingenium Pharmaceuticals AG; Probiodrug is located in Halle (Saale), Germany, and operates a subsidiary in Martinsried/Munich, Germany. For more information, please visit www.probiodrug.de.

Company Contact:
Prof Dr Hans-Ulrich Demuth
Vice-CEO and CSO
Probiodrug AG
Weinbergweg 22
D-06120 Halle/ Saale
Germany
Tel.: +49 345 55599-00
Fax: +49 345 55599-01
Mail: hans-ulrich.demuth@probiodrug.de

Media Contact:
Dr Ludger Weß
Managing Partner
akampion
Mittelweg 177 / MC177
D-20148 Hamburg
Germany
Tel.: +49 40 88 16 59 64
Fax: +49 40 88 16 59 65
Mail: ludger@akampion.com