Prof. Klaus Brandenburg’s start-up, Brandenburg Antiinfektiva GmbH, has been selected by the Leibniz Association as one of the two first recipients of the ‘Leibniz-Gründerpreis’, worth EUR 50,000. The award was initiated last year to highlight entrepreneurial projects with strong commercial and social impact and to support their development before or during the start-up phase. Prof. Brandenburg will use the proceeds to further advance his new approach for the treatment of sepsis: a peptide that binds bacteria and simultaneously neutralizes their endotoxins, which are responsible for triggering septic shock. Together with leading academics and his main clinical partner Dr Tobias Schürholz (Universitätsklinikum Aachen), he has already demonstrated proof-of-concept in relevant in vivo models. Alongside sepsis, the peptide is also active against various other bacterial and viral infections.
There is very little public awareness of sepsis, despite the alarming statistics: in Germany alone, it is responsible for about 160 deaths a day. ‘There is a tremendous clinical need. We very much appreciate the award for Brandenburg Antiinfectiva and hope it will help to attract the investors and industry partners needed to advance the approach into the clinic,’ comments Dr Torsten Stachelhaus, technology manager with Ascenion.
Ascenion has been working with Klaus Brandenburg for years securing comprehensive patent protection and supporting various initiatives, including the application for the Leibniz-Gründerpreis. Brandenburg Antiinfektiva is a spin-off from the Research Center Borstel – Leibniz-Center for Medicine and Biosciences (FZB).
For further information see
<link http: www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de medien presse pressemitteilungen details article leibniz_gruenderpreis_fuer_zwei_medizin_start_ups_gewinner_kommen_aus_borstel_und_greifswald_100001838 _blank external-link-new-window>Press release of the Leibniz Association on the Gründerpreis (only available in German)
<link http: www.antiinfektiva.com _blank external-link-new-window>Website of Brandenburg Antiinfektiva GmbH
