Ascenion unveils technology highlights: New approaches for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and glioblastoma
12 April 2016, Munich, Germany – On 17 May 2016, dealmakers and investors from the international biopharmaceutical industry will come together in Munich with Europe’s leading life-science researchers, entrepreneurs and technology transfer professionals to initiate partnerships for the development of high-potential academic projects. Ascenion and 12 further technology transfer organisations from across Europe will present a total of 40 peer-selected technologies, including innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, as well as platform technologies, originating from 32 research institutes and universities in 8 European nations. In addition, BioVaria’s Spin-off Panel will feature 8 of Europe’s most promising spin-offs.
Browse all BioVaria 2016 technologies online: www.biovaria.org
Ascenion will present a total of five projects, including an innovative approach for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases originating from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and a radioimmunotherapy for the treatment of glioblastoma currently being developed by the Helmholtz Zentrum München in close collaboration with a group of university clinics.
The first project targets the PERK pathway that was shown to be relevant in the development of tauopathies, i.e. neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the pathological aggregation of tau protein (tau tangles) in neurons of the CNS. While most approaches in this field aim to inhibit PERK, the DZNE team is pioneering the strategy of activating it. In relevant in vivo models, this has proved highly promising: An orally given PERK activator led to reduced tau pathology, reduced dendritic spine loss and motor neuron loss, and improved memory and locomotor function.
The second project builds on positive results obtained with an inhibitory anti-CAXII antibody in xenograft tumour models demonstrating its capacity to reduce tumour size and growth. CAXII is an enzyme which is expressed to 100% on glioblastomas but not on healthy brain tissue. Using translational grants, researchers and clinicians are now working together to increase the efficacy of the approach by conjugating a Fab-fragment of the antibody to a radionuclide and advancing the conjugate to clinical stage. A GMP process for the production of CAXII-specific Fabs linked with lutetium-177 is currently under development.
Further BioVaria projects presented by Ascenion are:
- Novel TPH inhibitors for the treatment of serotonin-related diseases (Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association)
- Clostrubin – an unusual novel polyketide antibiotic (Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute)
- Novel inhibitors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa LecB (Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland)
The proven BioVaria format with its short presentations, all-day poster exhibition and interactive Spin-off Panel provides an unprecedented density of life-science innovations in just one day. At the same time, it allows plenty of opportunity for individual discussions with scientists and their technology transfer representatives.
For the agenda and a full preview of technologies that have been accepted for BioVaria 2016 visit www.biovaria.org.
###
Contact
Esther Lange
E: info(at)biovaria(dot)org
Ascenion GmbH, Herzogstraße 64, 80803 Munich, GERMANY
About BioVaria
BioVaria brings together Europe’s top scientists and technology transfer professionals with potential licensees and investors from the international biopharmaceutical industry.
Key features of BioVaria 2016:
- Unique gathering of Europe’s top scientists, technology transfer professionals, investors and industry representatives.
- Presentation of around 50 licensable technologies and spin-offs originating from public research institutions and universities across Europe.
- Focus on patent-protected, commercially attractive opportunities covering therapeutics, diagnostics and research tools in the fields of cancer, infectious diseases, metabolism, autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders, and in other disease areas.
- Interactive, efficient one-day format combining 10-min oral presentations with an all-day poster exhibition.
- Spin-off Panel presenting promising European life-science start-ups.
- Ample space to discuss scientific details face-to-face with the inventors.
- Jointly organized by Ascenion and a selected group of leading European technology transfer organizations.
Patron: Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology
Sponsors: BioM, Life Science Inkubator / Photonik Inkubator, Abbvie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, HERTIN & Partner, LSP, Vossius & Partner, Sachs Associates
Technology transfer partners: Ascenion, Austria Wirtschaftsservice Gesellschaft, Bayerische Patentallianz, BTO Bergen Teknologioverføring, Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Canarias, EMBLEM Technology Transfer, FIST, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology – University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk (IFB), IOCB TTO, Lead Discovery Center, Max Planck Innovation, MRC Technology, PROvendis
Network partners: ASTP-Proton, BIO Deutschland, TechnologieAllianz
Communication sponsors: B3C Newswire, Current Partnering, Going Public, transkript
About Ascenion
Ascenion GmbH is an IP asset management company with particular expertise in the life sciences. Ascenion advises and supports public research institutions with regard to the protection and exploitation of their intellectual property (patents, know-how, materials), and initiates and mediates license agreements between research institutions and industry. The company places particular emphasis on coaching company founders and on active equity management. Ascenion was founded in 2001 as a 100% subsidiary of the LifeScience Foundation for the Promotion of Science and Research and is exclusive technology transfer partner of 19 research institutes in the Helmholtz and Leibniz Associations, as well as of the Charité, the Hannover Medical School and the research institute TWINCORE. Ascenion currently markets over 750 technologies on behalf of these institutes, and closes an average of about 80 revenue-generating agreements between research and industry per year. The team has also coached numerous spin-offs through their foundation and early growth and Ascenion holds equity in 21 of these companies. Ascenion’s headquarters are in Munich, with further offices in Berlin, Braunschweig, Hamburg, Hanover and Neuherberg.
Further information at www.ascenion.de
