IP Value Becomes Tangible

For Ascenion and its partners, the past year has heralded a new era: The transfer of inventions from public research to industry has started to yield fruit in the form of therapeutic products.

In April, Activaero, a spin-out from the Helmholtz Zentrum München (formerly GSF) launched its innovative "Watchhaler®" inhalation device for children. In October, Bristol-Meyers Squibb (BMS) gained marketing approval for Ixempra®, a new chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of cancer originating from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), and in December, Fresenius Biotech filed a market authorization application for removab® with the European Medicines Agency (EMEA). more

BioVaria 2008 - Germany's Next Top Technologies

Interview with Prof. Dr Günther Wess, Scientific and Technical Director of the Helmholtz Zentrum München, keynote speaker at BioVaria 2008
Q: Before taking up the position of Scientific and Technical Director of the Helmholtz Zentrum München in November 2005, you held various leading positions in industry, most recently as head of drug development in Europe for Aventis and member of the discovery board of Sanofi Aventis. From the industry's perspective, what do you believe are the key issues in partnering with public research institutions?
The key issue has always been that there is not enough information exchange and interaction between industry and academia, in particular in Germany. There is definitely a lack of common understanding on opportunities.
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Ascenion's Results in 2007

In terms of spin-off deals, agreements and patent applications, Ascenion outperforms the European average according to ASTP standardized performance measures¹ for technology transfer.
More than 2 million Euros were earned in 2007. more

Spinning Innovation

With three new shareholdings, three exits and two GO-Bio awards, Ascenion's spin-out activities and support have gained pace in recent months. In addition, a range of new funding tools spanning the whole spin-out process from initial business planning through the seed and start-up phase, may help getting new businesses professionally prepared and started. For further information on the funding landscape see our Newsletter Special on the 2nd Biotech-NetWorkshop or contact us directly. email

MedTherm: Heat-shock for tumours
It was the mid 1980s, when Prof. Rolf Issels, Medical oncologist and head of the clinical cooperation group "Hyperthermia" at the Helmholtz Zentrum München, began to explore the therapeutic value of regional hyperthermia (RHT), i.e. the heating of distinct areas of the human body to 40-44°C using electromagnetic waves. It has long been known that these temperatures cause stress to all cells, but Issels and his team demonstrated that they also make malignant cells more susceptible to the body's immune defences, radiation and chemotherapy. more

Dualis: New "artificial heart"
Dualis was founded in late 2006 as a spin-out from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to further develop and market a new heart-assist device that may, for the first time, provide long-term support for critically ill heart patients. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the Western world and many patients could benefit from a heart transplant. Limited organ availability, however, means that only about 5% of these can receive a transplantation.
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Amvac: Better prevention of widespread diseases
In late 2007, the Swiss-based company AmVac AG licensed a family of synthetic lipopeptides called MALP-2 from HZI that hold strong potential as vaccine adjuvants. As part of that deal, Ascenion obtained an equity stake in the company. more

GO-Bio award: More specific medicines in cardiovascular-disease
Nine projects out of 85 applications were selected for the GO-Bio award - a support program of the Germany Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) - at the end of last year. Among the winners was the team lead by Enno Klußmann at the Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP) in Berlin, with its innovative approach to using specific protein-protein interactions as therapeutic targets. more

Turning Science into Business Opportunities

"Mistaken" antibodies help diagnose cardiovascular disease

It has been known for years that autoantibodies - antibodies that mistakenly target own cells - play a pivotal role in the development of autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation. Their involvement in cardiovascular diseases or other conditions, however, has long been ignored in the scientific community. Not so by Gerd Wallukat, group leader at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), and his team. more

Fostering Networks

Going east: Impressions from Kyoto and Beijing

Changes in attitude
"The IP landscape in Asia has come a long way from the days when patents were primarily regarded as obstacles to copying what was already available in the marketplace," says Christian Stein, having just returned from two major events in Asia: the Science and Technology Forum (STS) in Japan, and the 11th Healthcare Industry Forum (HIF) in China. more

Biotech-NetWorkshop: Looking behind the scenes
In February this year, around 30 life-science entrepreneurs and almost as many experienced managers from the biopharmaceutical industry came together at Ringberg Castle for the 2nd Biotech-NetWorkshop jointly organized by Ascenion and Max Planck Innovation. more

Latest Technology Offers

Thuggacines for the treatment of tuberculosis
New Target for Fertility Control in Human
Antibiotic salts suitable for implant coating
Novel Treatment Option of Hair Loss
SLP3 mutant mice; an animal model lacking touch-evoked pain
Novel Diagnostic Marker in Acute Lymphoblastic
Stabilized Etnangien derivative - drug candidate from myxobacteria
New substances for treatment of trypanosomiasis

This Information Letter is periodically published by Ascenion GmbH.
Editor: Ascenion GmbH, Herzogstraße 64,
80803 Munich, Germany
Represented by: Dr Christian A. Stein (CEO)
Register Court: Amtsgericht München HRB 118236
VAT Identification Number: DE 812299325

Text: KONOCOM
Layout: Design Direction
Pictures / Photos from: Ascenion, Activaero, DLR, FMP, HZI, Helmholtz Zentrum München, STS Forum, TRION Pharma