Aagenaes Syndrome

Phase II study for BC 007 in the indication Long COVID to start in June BERLIN, June 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Berlin Cures, a biotechnology company specialized in neutralizing functional autoantibodies (fAABs), is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Oliver von Stein. He assumes the role with immediate effect and will work closely with Berlin Cures' co-founder Dr. Johannes Müller, who will hand over his CEO duties to drive the company's research activities as the new Chief Science Officer (CSO). Dr. Müller, an accomplished physician, researcher, and innovator, has been instrumental in the development of BC 007. "We are excited to welcome Dr. Oliver von Stein as our new CEO to drive the next phase of innovation and growth at Berlin Cures," said Rainer Böhm, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "We aspire to establish ourselves as a leading global force in the neutralization of functional autoantibodies (fAABs). With over two decades of unwavering dedication to functional autoantibody research, we have successfully identified a biotechnology capable of effectively neutralizing fAABs. Our extensive research findings indicate that this platform technology holds immense potential in significantly alleviating or even curing a spectrum of diseases associated with fAABs, including Long COVID Syndrome (LCS), heart failure, and numerous others. By tackling the root cause, Berlin Cures emerges as one of the pioneering entities committed to addressing this critical issue." Berlin Cures has received regulatory approvals to start a European multicenter Phase II clinical trial in the indication Long COVID with the molecule BC 007 and will begin the trial this June. With this important milestone in the development of BC 007 Berlin Cures will be able to obtain clinically meaningful and robust results on efficacy and tolerability of BC 007 with patients suffering from Long COVID. Initial results are expected in early 2024. Dr. Oliver von Stein said: "I'm truly honored to be joining the esteemed team at Berlin Cures during this pivotal moment. As we embark on the Phase II study with BC 007 against Long COVID, the company is poised to enter a new phase of growth. Together, we will work towards achieving significant milestones in our mission to provide relief and cure for millions of patients afflicted by fAABs." Dr. von Stein, the founder of InDex Pharmaceuticals, brings a wealth of expertise in the field of biotechnology with more than two decades of experience in driving scientific research and clinical development of nucleic-based drugs. He successfully oversaw the market success and out-licensing of several nucleic-based drugs and diagnostics. Prior to joining Berlin Cures, he held various leadership positions at AstraZeneca, OWKIN and other pharma companies, and served as COO at Silence Therapeutics. He completed his PhD in Molecular Biology at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Dr. Johannes Mueller added: "I am very pleased to welcome Dr. Oliver von Stein to Berlin Cures. With his experience, we will have the leadership for the set goal of being able to include further indications with our BC 007 molecule in our treatment strategy for BC 007. I myself will be relieved by his commitment, which will give me the opportunity to shed more light on the scientific aspects related to the new therapeutic indications." Rainer Böhm concluded: "On behalf of the whole board, I want to thank Dr. Johannes Müller for his tremendous work over the last decades – not only at Berlin Cures. As a leading expert in his field, his achievements have profoundly enriched scientific knowledge and his commitment to improving human health and alleviating suffering has been truly transformative. With his visionary leadership, he will further drive the highly important research activities at Berlin Cures in his capacity as CSO." About Berlin Cures: The Berlin Cures team has dedicated over two decades to the research of functional autoantibodies (fAABs) and has successfully identified a molecule capable of effectively neutralizing these. Promising preclinical results have been observed for BC 007. It was found effective in fAAB-positive healthy volunteers during the Phase I study and in heart failure patients in a Phase IIa trial. Its potential against Long COVID is indicated by lab data generated using sera from Long COVID patients, and four case studies. By potentially tackling the root cause of fAAB-associated diseases, this platform biotechnology signifies a pioneering approach in therapeutics. By tackling the root cause with this unique biotechnology, Berlin Cures emerges as one of the pioneering entities committed to addressing this critical issue at its core. Starting in June 2023, Berlin Cures is absolving a Phase II clinical trial with BC 007 in the indication Long COVID, an acute and escalating global health problem, to obtain meaningful and robust results on efficacy and tolerability of BC 007 with patients suffering from Long COVID. - Picture is available at AP Images () - Contact: FGS Global E-Mail: [email protected] Tel: +41 79 905 1429 SOURCE Berlin Cures

The EU has awarded a 6.55 million EUR funding to a HUS Helsinki University Hospital-led consortium to examine the mechanisms behind the long-term effects of a COVID-19 infection. The objective is also to create a Decision support system for prediction and management of Long Covid Syndrome (LCS). The number of patients suffering from long-term effects of a COVID-19 infection are growing worldwide. It is therefore important to identify and understand the mechanisms behind the continuing symptoms and to use this improved understanding to provide adequate treatment to patients. This is what the HUS-led Long Covid-project aims to do. The research evidence created during the project will be simultaneously used to develop and improve care of Long Covid patients. The Long COVID project, with its budget consisting of 6.55 million EUR granted by the European Commission and 1.66 million EUR granted by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), is first of its kind aiming to clarify the factors and mechanisms for the development of LCS. "With the funding from the EU, the Long COVID research consortium will have good opportunities to conduct more research on the mechanisms and biomarkers of long-term effects of COVID-19 infection and the rehabilitation methods. The findings of the four-year research consortium can be used in the treatment of patients both at HUS and internationally," says Chief Physician Mari Kanerva. The patient benefits directly from research on the causes and of improved treatment methods of the disease The mechanism of the long-term effects is studied at HUS's Outpatient Clinic for Long-term Effects of COVID-19. Researches will be conducted with the help of cohort and register studies, mechanistic studies as well as with intervention and monitoring studies of patients with long COVID. In the research work, advantage is taken of omics technology, which is used to identify the factors and biomarkers that predispose people to the development of long-term effects of COVID-19 infection. "It is inspiring to have the opportunity to simultaneously examine both the causes and the treatment methods of the long-term effects in this project. Our understanding of this disease is developing fast, which directly benefits the patients," explains Chief Physician Helena Liira from the Outpatient Clinic for Long-Term Effects of COVID-19. It is possible that the study will also create innovations for managing the long-term effects of possible future pandemics. Apart from HUS, the Consortium consists of many leading EU research organizations, such as the University of Helsinki, the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM) and research groups from Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, Estonia, and Italy. A German company, NEC, specialized in artificial intelligence and machine learning is involved in the study and its methods are used in the interpretation of the diverse material. Other companies involved include Lipotype, Nuromedia and Steinbeis from Germany, Protobios from Estonia, and Chino from Italy. "I am pleased that the systematic investments HUS has made in the preconditions for international research collaboration are now visible also as successful EU applications like this one and very excited to start the work with this excellent Consortium," says HUS EU Affairs lead Suzan Ikvalko. She was also involved in the proposal preparation and so was Innovation consultancy Spinverse who facilitated the preparation of the project, which is officially launched in June 2022. For further information, please visit: https://longcovidproject.eu The Long Covid Consortium: Coordinator HUS Helsinki University Hospital (Finland), University of Helsinki (Finland), University Medical Centre Groningen (Netherlands), University Hospital Basel (Switzerland), Protobios Ou (Estonia), Lipotype GmbH (Germany), University of Zurich (Switzerland), Nuromedia GmbH (Germany), NEC Laboratories Europe GmbH (Germany), Chino SRLS (Italy), Steinbeis 2i GmbH (Germany), Spinverse Oy (Finland).