18.06.2013 - 09:01

PRESS RELEASE: ACTIVAERO RECEIVES RESEARCH GRANT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THERAPY AGAINST CHRONIC LUNG DISEASES

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Activaero GmbH / ACTIVAERO RECEIVES RESEARCH GRANT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF
THERAPY AGAINST CHRONIC LUNG DISEASES . Processed and transmitted by
Thomson Reuters ONE. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of
this announcement.


-- Munich m4 biotech cluster program extends support for the development of
a novel method to treat chronic lung diseases

-- Program focuses on targeted treatment of the lung with biotherapeutics


Gemuenden/Wohra, Germany, June 18, 2013 - Activaero GmbH, the
therapeutic area specialist for respiratory diseases focusing on novel,
pharmacoeconomically meaningful treatment solutions, today announced
that the Company is to receive additional financial support for the
development of a novel treatment for chronic non-infectious lung
diseases. As part of the Munich-based biotech cluster program m4, the
grant is going to support research performed at Activaero and the
Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) in Munich.

The new extended collaboration now aims specifically at advancing the
preclinical development of techniques to deposit aerosolized
biotherapeutics via inhalation directly into specific lung regions and
to therewith more effectively treat non-infectious lung diseases.
Originally, the joint research project started in 2010 and was geared
towards identifying a novel inhalation method allowing for efficacy
testing of new inhaled substances in preclinical research. Following
this first stage of work, aerosol experts at Activaero and CPC are now
going to investigate the effectiveness of certain biotherapeutics in a
cell-based system before the drugs will then be evaluated in selected
preclinical models. This work will help identifying new biotherapeutics
for the treatment of chronic lung diseases and to better understand
their safety and efficacy.

"According to the WHO, lung diseases are the second most common cause of
death worldwide. Therefore, a particular high need exists for new highly
effective therapies in the field of chronic non-infectious lung
diseases. It is our goal to develop therapies that affect the cause of
the disease, significantly relieve the symptoms and, potentially, cure
the disease. Complex high molecular weight biological substances, so
called biotherapeutics appear to be very promising as their mechanism of
action might address severe respiratory diseases at their root cause."
explained Bernhard Müllinger, Chief Technical Officer of Activaero.

About the leading-edge cluster program 'm4 - Personalized Medicine and
Targeted Therapies'

The research collaboration between Activaero and the Munich-based
Comprehensive Pneumology Center is funded by the initiative 'm4 -
Personalised Medicine and Targeted Therapies' for which the Munich
Biotech Cluster was awarded 'Leading-edge cluster status' by the German
Federal Ministry of Research and Education (BMBF) in 2010. For a 5 year
period, the program is funded with EUR 40 million from the BMBF, which
are complemented by EUR 40 million from the participating companies in
more than 40 cooperative R&D projects from industry and scientific
institutions. The Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure,
Transport and Technology supports the cluster management agency BioM and
particular components of the concept with an additional EUR 12 million.

For further information please visit:

http://www.m4.de/personalisierte-medizin/spitzencluster-muenchen/der-wet
tbewerb.html

About The Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC)

The CPC was jointly founded by Helmholtz Zentrum München (German
Research Center for Environmental Health), Ludwig Maximilians University
Munich, University Clinics Munich and Asklepios Pulmonary Hospital in
Munich-Gauting. The research in the CPC is focused on chronic lung
diseases. CPC scientists integrate methods of molecular and cell biology,
pharmacology, molecular pathology and clinical medicine in order to
develop new diagnostic tools and therapies for chronic lung diseases.

About Activaero

Activaero is a therapeutic area specialist developing new,
pharmacoeconomically meaningful treatment solutions for patients
suffering from severe respiratory diseases, including Asthma, Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Idiopathic
Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and Pulmonary Hypertension. Activaero was
founded in 1998 in Germany and is a privately held company with offices
in Germany near Frankfurt and Munich as well as in Dublin, Ohio (USA).

www.activaero.de

Contact us:




Activaero GmbH Media Contact

Dr. Gerhard Scheuch Anne Hennecke
Chief Executive Officer MC Services AG
t: +49-6453-64818-16 t: +49-89-210228-18
e: info@activaero.de e: anne.hennecke@mc-services.eu
www.activaero.com



Press release (PDF): http://hugin.info/156033/R/1710024/566857.pdf

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Source: Activaero GmbH via Thomson Reuters ONE

HUG#1710024

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Activaero GmbH

Wohraer Straße 37 Gemuenden/Wohra Germany


http://www.activaero.de/

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 18, 2013 03:01 ET (07:01 GMT)