Adrenomed AG Develops New Drug to Reduce Mortality from Septic Shock

HENNIGSDORF, Germany, Jan. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The German corporation Adrenomed AG today announced its intentions to contribute to the reduction of mortality from sepsis and septic shock. Sepsis is an advanced systemic infection that travels via the blood stream to many of the body's vital organs, which can lead to death and disability.

Adrenomed AG has developed the new first-in-class compound, Adrecizumab. The drug targets the vasoactive hormone adrenomedullin as one of the key mediators during sepsis and septic shock. Adrecizumab is a humanized monoclonal anti-adrenomedullin antibody, which modulates the adrenomedullin bioactivity and has shown to stabilize circulation and renal function in animal models of septic shock.

Adrenomed has already confirmed its preclinical program with scientific advice from the European Medicines Agency – PEI (German Federal Institute for Federal Agency for Vaccines and Biomedicines). The first-in-man clinical Phase 1 study of Adrecizumab is planned for 2015.

"It is our key motivation to reducing the high mortality rates from sepsis," said Dr. Bernd Wegener, CEO of Adrenomed. "Sepsis is a major healthcare problem that affects millions of people worldwide. Deaths from sepsis is greater than mortality of breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer combined." 

"We are excited about our recent results in animal studies," noted Dr. Andreas Bergmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Adrenomed. "Test groups treated with Adrecizumab showed an outstanding increase of survival over a long time period."

About Adrenomed AG
Adrenomed AG is a privately-financed biopharmaceutical company with projects in advanced preclinical-stage. Adrenomed focuses on discovering and developing monoclonal antibody therapies that target the vasoactive adrenomedullin system in order to treat sepsis, septic shock and acute kidney injury.

Adrenomed AG was established by Prof Dr. Tamas Bartfai, a former Member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry; Dr. Gerald Moeller, former CEO of Boehringer Mannheim AG and the founder and former executives of German BRAHMS AG; Dr. Bernd Wegener; and Dr. Andreas Bergmann. The latter have proven their ability to perform trade sales (i.e.: BRAHMS AG in 2009 to ThermoFisher Scientific). Dr. Wegner and Dr. Bergmann changed the standard of care in sepsis by developing the biomarker Procalcitonin (BRAHMS PCT-Test), the gold standard for sepsis diagnosis.

About Adrenomedullin and Adrecizumab
Adrenomedullin is a strong vasodilatory hormone released by the endothelial cells. It is a key regulator of blood pressure and vascular tone and plays a pivotal role in the development of septic shock. Based on its proprietary drug discovery and drug development platform, Adrenomed AG has developed a series of anti-adrenomedullin monoclonal antibodies. The lead antibody was refined by the company's most advanced drug candidate, Adrecizumab, a humanized monoclonal adrenomedullin antibody. Adrecizumab modulates adrenomedullin bioactivity and has shown to substantially stabilize circulation, normalize fluid balance and decrease acute kidney injury in mice from septic shock (Wagner et al. Crit Care 2012, 16, Supp.1). Subsequently this leads to reduced mortality from septic shock.

Further information
http://www.adrenomed.com/

SOURCE Adrenomed AG