Probiodrug to Present Novel Findings on the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease at Neuroscience 2010

Probiodrug to Present Novel Findings on the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease at Neuroscience 2010

Halle/Saale, Nov 1st, 2010 — Probiodrug AG (Probiodrug), a biotech company developing novel products for the treatment of neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases with a particular focus on Alzheimer’s disease, today announced that it will present novel findings on the pathomechanism of Alzheimer’s disease during the Neuroscience 2010 conference, the 40th annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, which will take place in San Diego, Calif., from November 13 to 17, 2010.

Probiodrug and its collaborators will give seven talks in three nanosymposia and present further results in two posters.

“We will demonstrate that Probiodrug and its collaborators from various academic institutions have made considerable progress in elucidating the role of the metalloenzyme glutaminyl cyclase, or QC, in the formation of toxic, pyroglutamated species of the beta-amyloid peptide,” said Prof Dr Hans-Ulrich Demuth, CSO of Probiodrug. “Moreover, we have been able to demonstrate that increasing pyroglutamate Aβ by, e.g. expression of human QC, potentiates the behavioral deficits observed with APP tg mouse models significantly, and we will also demonstrate that inhibitors of QC can reduce the level of pyroglutamated beta-amyloid species and alleviate the observed behavioral changes. Last but not least, we will present results that uncover a connection between inflammation and beta-amyloid deposition mediated by the up-regulation of QC-enzyme activity in Alzheimer’s disease and the ability of QC inhibitors to ameliorate inflammatory signaling cascades by suppression of the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, or MCP-1, which plays an important role in the recruitment of monocytes and lymphocytes to sites of cellular immune reactions.”

Based on the findings that QC facilitates a pyroglutamate-formation (pGlu), not only from N-terminal glutamine but also from glutamate, and thereby promotes aggregation and toxicity of the pGlu beta-amyloid peptides (pGluAβ) in Alzheimer’s disease, Probiodrug has launched a drug discovery program which has approached the regulatory phase.

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`s Investment Partner, Goodvent/IBG, HBM, TVM, Life Science Partners, Biogen Idec Ventures and 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
Saseler Loge 6b
D-22393 Hamburg
Germany
Tel.: +49 40 88 16 59 64
Fax: +49 40 88 16 59 65
Mail: ludger@akampion.com