GANYMED Pharmaceuticals AG and the University of Rotterdam Establish new Cooperation

New Cooperation on Identification of Multiple Sclerosis Pathogens Established Between GANYMED Pharmaceuticals AG and the University of Rotterdam

Mainz / Rotterdam, March 16, 2004 - Within the scope of GANYMED's MicroGATETM project GANYMED Pharmaceuticals AG and the Medical Center of Erasmus University Rotterdam established a cooperation for the purpose of identifying new pathogens.

The neurological branch of the University Hospital of Rotterdam (Director: Prof. Dr. P.A.E. Sillevis Smitt) is very active as reference hospital and has great expertise in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The University of Rotterdam is supporting GANYMED in the field of identification of MS pathogens. "The identification of new MS pathogens will open up new possibilities for therapy and diagnostics of MS patients", PD Dr. Özlem Türeci, CSO of GANYMED, underlined the importance of the cooperation.

"We are looking forward to this cooperation and are enthusiastic to have a share in improving diagnosis and therapy of multiple sclerosis", emphasizes Dr. R. Q. Hintzen, project leader of the MS program at the Medical Center of the University of Rotterdam, the interest of his research group.

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GANYMED Pharmaceuticals AG is an independent biotechnology company and was founded 2001 by a renowned international team of scientists and oncologists of the Johannes-Gutenberg-University Mainz and the University and ETH Zurich. The company is based in Mainz, Germany. GANYMED's mission is to develop tailored medical solutions for cancer and infectious disease based on highly selective disease specific antigens as targets for molecular and immunological therapeutics and diagnostics. GANYMED's integrated technology platforms allow the systematic search and comprehensive identification of antigens not only for cancer but also (via GANYMED's propriatary MicroGATETM technology) for even hitherto unknown pathogens providing new avenues to address major diseases like multiple sclerosis, juvenile diabetes mellitus, Crohn's Disease and others. GANYMED's vision is to become a favoured partner for the pharmaceutical industry as a source for high quality, "ideal" targets and new drugs.

The Erasmus Medical Center (ErasmusMC) is an academic medical clinic with one of the most active and largest neurology branches in the Netherlands. Fundamental research on a broad clinical basis comes along with care for the patients. The Institute for Neurology of the ErasmusMC is a reference center for multiple sclerosis in the Netherlands. Many clinical studies regarding MS were accomplished there. ErasmusMC has a longtime and great expertise in the MS research.

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For further inquiries please contact:

GANYMED Pharmaceuticals AG
Anja Gruschwitz
Freiligrathstrasse 12
D-55131 Mainz / Germany
Tel.: +49-6131-1440-100
Fax: +49-6131-1440-111
eMail: info@ganymed-pharmaceuticals.com 

ErasmusMC Rotterdam
Dr. R. Q. Hintzen
Dept of Neurology
MS Center ErasMS
Dr. Molewaterplain 40, Ba-483a
3014 GD Rotterdam / Netherlands
Tel.: +31-10-4633780
Fax: +31-10-4635927
eMail: r.hintzen@erasmusmc.nl 


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