BERG Honored with Partner in Progress Award from DEBRA of America at Annual Benefit for Rare Disease Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB)

BOSTON, Oct. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BERG, a biopharmaceutical company that merges biology with technology, today announced that the Company was honored with a Partners in Progress Award from the Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association of America (debra of America). The award recognizes the Company's work for developing therapies for patients suffering with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a rare, pervasive, and debilitating connective tissue disorder. EB significantly diminishes the quality of life for those dealing with the condition, and currently there is no FDA-approved treatment or cure. debra of America is the only U.S. nonprofit providing all-inclusive support to the EB community, through funding research for a treatment and cure, while simultaneously providing free programs and services for those with EB.

In May 2017, BERG initiated a Phase I clinical trial for the topical form of its drug candidate BPM 31510 for the treatment of EB, which is currently being conducted at the University of Miami Department of Dermatology & Cutaneous Surgery. This easy-to-administer topical treatment could provide a new and convenient treatment for EB patients and their caregivers.

"We're honored to be recognized by debra of America for developing novel therapies for Epidermolysis Bullosa, which is a devastating disease with no viable treatments other than wound care and pain management," says Niven R. Narain, President and Chief Executive Officer of BERG. "We're very encouraged by our clinical research being conducted at the University of Miami, and are committed to delivering breakthrough therapies for EB patients."

All variations of EB share the most prominent symptom of extremely fragile skin, which causes painful blisters, debilitating ruptures and wounds that are prone to infection. Even minor friction or trauma can cause problems, and internal organs and systems can also be seriously affected by the disease. EB often leads to a potentially serious form of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and in some cases, can be lethal for patients before they reach the age of 30.

"As a father of a ten-year-old with a severe form of Epidermolysis Bullosa, and as Executive Director, I want to thank BERG for advancing necessary treatment options for the 25,000 people living in the United States with EB and the nearly 200 children born each year with the disease," said Brett Kopelan, Executive Director of debra of America. "debra of America is proud to honor BERG with our Partners in Progress Award for their pioneering approach to drug development and their commitment to improving the quality of life for EB patients and their families."

Debra of America's annual benefit takes place during Epidermolysis Bullosa Awareness Week, October 25-31, which was created to increase awareness of EB, to promote the need for a cure and to spur advocacy on behalf of families suffering with the emotional, financial, and physical burden of the disease.

About debra of America 
Founded in 1980, debra of America is a non-profit organization which provides comprehensive support to those with epidermolysis bullosa (EB). It is the only national organization in the United States to offer free programs and services to affected individuals and their caregivers and fund research for an EB cure and treatment. EB is a rare, connective tissue disorder with many genetic and symptomatic variations characterized by extremely fragile skin and the development of recurrent, painful blisters, open sores, disfiguring scars, disabling musculoskeletal deformities, internal complications, and shortened life-span. Research indicates that one in every 20,000 children in the U.S. are born with the disease. There is currently no known EB cure or treatment.

For additional information, please visit: www.debra.org.

About BERG 
BERG is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company disrupting and re-defining the approach to drug discovery, research and development through its Interrogative Biology^® platform. Its platform identifies therapies and biomarkers by applying algorithm- and probability-based artificial intelligence to analyze large numbers of patients' genotypic, phenotypic and other characteristics. BERG's platform operates at the intersection of biology, technology and artificial intelligence analytics and integrates many data characteristics regarding patients' lifestyles, demographics and biology. BERG believes this allows the Company to better understand patients' disease profiles and consequently to identify and reveal molecular signatures to guide and accelerate product candidate selection and development. By identifying biomarkers and patient characteristics that are unique to the disease state, BERG is able to identify novel therapeutic product candidates and develop companion diagnostics to enhance specificity in its drug development process. BERG has leveraged its Interrogative Biology^® platform to develop a robust pipeline of therapeutic product candidates and diagnostics in cancer, diabetes and neurology. 

For additional information, please visit www.BERGhealth.com.

Media Contact:
Tola St. Matthew-Daniel
Ogilvy
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