HALLE/SAALE, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Probiodrug AG (Probiodrug) announced today that Dr. Stephan Schilling, an expert consultant to the Company, will give an invited presentation at the upcoming Gordon Research Conference: Medicinal Chemistry, The Leading Edge of Drug Discovery. Dr. Schilling was head of enzymology at Probiodrug until 2013, during which he was crucial to the discovery of the function of glutaminyl cyclase (QC) in modifying brain Abeta from its normal state to the toxic pyroglutamated (pGlu)-Abeta. Dr. Schilling’s work provided the basis for Probiodrug’s development of QC-inhibitors as a novel treatment approach for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Dr. Schilling is author and co-author of more than 45 peer-reviewed papers on QC and other topics. The Gordon Research Conference presentation is titled “Discovery and Development of Glutaminyl Cyclase Inhibitors: A New Approach for the Treatment of AD.” It takes place on Tuesday, August 5 in New London, New Hampshire, USA. In his presentation, Dr. Schilling will summarize pre-clinical and clinical findings from Probiodrug’s studies of PQ912, the Company’s lead QC inhibitor.
Inge Lues, Ph.D., chief development officer of Probiodrug added, “Probiodrug is pursuing two innovative treatment strategies: the inhibition of QC with the Phase 2a-ready candidate, PQ912; and passive immunotherapy with a pGlu-specific mAb in pre-clinical development. Results to be presented by Dr. Schilling show the promise of PQ912 in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as its safety and tolerability in healthy subjects of different ages. In addition, the compound has been shown to have excellent target occupancy as measured by the level of QC inhibition in the spinal fluid, all of which provided the translational basis for the phase 2a trial design.”
About Probiodrug AG
Probiodrug is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel therapeutic solutions to treat people with Alzheimer’s disease. Efforts are focused on lowering modified and toxic pyroglutamated (pGlu) Abeta in the brains of Alzheimer patients through (i) the inhibition of glutaminyl cyclase (QC) and (ii) by immunotherapy with a modification-specific monoclonal antibody. The Company has medical use and composition of matter patents related to the inhibition of glutaminyl cyclase, providing it with a leading position in this field of research in the Company’s view. Probiodrug is backed by institutions such as BB Biotech, Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, Goodvent/IBG, HBM, TVM Capital, Life Sciences Partners, Biogen Idec New Ventures, CFH Group, funds managed by Wellington Management and private investors.
Probiodrug's core capabilities are based on its long-standing expertise in the elucidation of the structure and function of enzymes which play a central role in the maturation of hormones. Probiodrug was founded in 1997 by Prof. Dr. Hans-Ulrich Demuth and Dr. Konrad Glund. For more information, please visit www.probiodrug.de.