AOP Health Starts Research for Leukemia Treatment

AOP Health signed an agreement with Leukos Biotech for the further development of a newly discovered chemical substance. With this agreement AOP Health expands the hemato-oncology research area even further and provides additional treatment options for certain leukemia patients in the longer term.

Agnes Kohl, Chief Business Officer, AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Member of the AOP Health Group

Photo credit: Studio Koekart: Natascha Unkart & Isabelle Köhler

VIENNA, Austria, Aug. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The AOP Health Group (AOP Health) is a European pioneer for integrated therapies for rare diseases and in critical care headquartered in Vienna, Austria. The company focuses on research, development and global sales of innovative treatment solutions and specializes in therapies for rare diseases and intensive care. In early July, AOP Health signed an agreement with Leukos Biotech, a spin-off company founded by the Barcelona-based Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute. The agreement signed by AOP Health covers the option for developments of the newly discovered chemical substance within any treatable indication, not limited to oncological or rare diseases.

Luis Ruiz-Avila, Chief Executive Officer Leukos Biotech

Copyright: Albert Mollon

Agreement sets basis for new areas of therapy

At first, AOP Health will focus on the development of treatment options for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). Both are special disease types of leukemia that often start in the bone marrow. Agnes Kohl, Chief Business Officer of AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Member of the AOP Health Group explains: “Based on positive data, our plan is to expand the development for further orphan indications even outside of AML and MDS at a later stage. With this agreement, we may be able to broaden the portfolio within our therapeutic areas offering even more treatment options for patients.”

Development in cooperation with Leukos

As AOP Health focuses on rare, hemato-oncological cancers and has many years of experience in the development and commercialization of hemato-oncological treatments, the company will drive the further development of the substance in cooperation with Leukos based on a new mode of action. This could potentially turn into a milestone in the treatment of many blood cancer and other cancer patients. Luis Ruiz-Avila, Chief Executive Officer of Leukos Biotech: “We focus on developing new treatments for a wide variety of tumors. We were born to transform excellent science from the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute into valuable products for cancer patients in need, and this agreement is a very significant step in that direction. We are convinced that AOP Health is the right partner to turn this promising, novel mechanism of action into a clinical reality for the benefit of patients in a wide variety of unmet medical needs”.

About AOP Health

The AOP Health Group incorporates several companies including AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH with its seat in Vienna, Austria (“AOP Health”). The AOP Health Group is the European pioneer for integrated therapies for rare diseases and in critical care. Over the past 25 years, the Group has become an established provider of integrated therapy solutions operating from its headquarters in Vienna, its subsidiaries and representative offices throughout Europe and the Middle East, as well as through partners worldwide. This development has been made possible by a continually high level of investment in research and development on the one hand and a highly consistent and pragmatic orientation towards the needs of all its stakeholders on the other – especially the patients and their families as well as also the healthcare professionals treating them.

About Leukos

Leukos Biotech, SL (Leukos) is a spin-off company from the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute incorporated in Barcelona in 2015. The company is developing new treatments and diagnostic tools for a wide variety of tumors targeting the serotonin receptor HTR1B, which antitumoral potential was first described and patented by Leukos’ founder Dr. Ruth Risueño in her laboratory at the Josep Carreras Research Institute. Leukos’ main financial support is from private and institutional investors. The main shareholders are Inveready, CDTI Innvierte and the Josep Carreras Foundation. Besides investors’ support, Leukos has received non-dilutive grants and loans from the Catalan Government, the Spanish Government and the European Union in various programs.

About the Josep Carreras Foundation

The Josep Carreras Leukaemia Foundation was established in 1988 with the intention of contributing to finding a definitive cure for this disease. Its efforts are concentrated on four basic areas: administering the Spanish Bone Marrow Donor Registry (REDMO), scientific research, carried out by the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, patient guidance through an online patient consultation channel, and reception apartments for patients who need to undergo treatment and have to spend a long time far from home.

About the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute

The Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, a public centre pertaining to the Generalitat de Catalunya’s CERCA network, was established in 2010 with the aim of furthering biomedical research and personalised medicine in the field of leukaemia and other onco-hematological diseases. It is the first research centre in Europe exclusively focussed on leukaemia and malignant blood diseases, and one of the very few in the world. The Josep Carreras Institutes has three coordinated but independent scientific campuses: University of Barcelona Hospital Clínic Campus, The Catalan Institute of Oncology/Germans Trias i Pujol Campus, and the Sant Pau – Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) Campus

About Inveready

Inveready is a leading alternative asset manager in Spain – investing in early-stage VC, growth VC, venture debt, strategic equity in listed companies, infrastructure and private equity – providing financing solutions to companies throughout their life-cycle. Founded in 2008, Inveready counts on 200 active companies, and more than €1bn of assets under management. Inveready has been investing in companies in the Life Sciences sector since 2008. Notable investments in this vertical are Atrys Health (listed on the Spanish market), EDESA Biotech (listed on Nasdaq), AVX Pharma (sold to Aerie Biotech) and PaloBiofarma (licensing agreement with Novartis). Inveready is headquartered in San Sebastian, and has other offices in Barcelona and Madrid. It has been recognized on multiple occasions by ASCRI and Preqin for the return on its funds and transactions (For more information, visit www.inveready.com).

Mag Nina Roth, MAS
[email protected]

AOP Health
Needs. Science. Trust.

AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH
Member of the AOP Health Group

Leopold-Ungar-Platz 2, 1190 Vienna, Austria
aop-health.com

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AOP Health commence la recherche d’un traitement pour la leucémie

AOP Health a signé un accord avec Leukos Biotech pour la poursuite du développement d’une substance chimique récemment découverte. Avec cet accord, AOP Health élargit encore davantage le domaine de la recherche sur l’hémato-oncologie et propose des options de traitement supplémentaires à certains patients atteints de leucémie sur le long terme.

VIENNE, Autriche, 01 août 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AOP Health Group (AOP Health) est un pionnier européen des thérapies intégrées pour les maladies rares et les soins intensifs basé à Vienne, en Autriche. La société se concentre sur la recherche, le développement et la vente mondiale de solutions de traitement innovantes et se spécialise dans les thérapies pour les maladies rares et les soins intensifs. Début juillet, AOP Health a signé un accord avec Leukos Biotech, une société dérivée fondée par l’institut de recherche sur la leucémie Josep Carreras, basé à Barcelone. L’accord signé par AOP Health couvre l’option de développement de la substance chimique récemment découverte dans le cadre de toute indication traitable, non limitée aux maladies oncologiques ou rares.

L’accord établit la base de nouveaux domaines thérapeutiques

Dans un premier temps, AOP Health se concentrera sur le développement d’options de traitement pour la leucémie myéloïde aiguë (LMA) et le syndrome myélodysplasique (SMD). Les deux sont des types particuliers de leucémie qui commencent souvent dans la moelle osseuse. Agnes Kohl, directrice commerciale d’AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH, membre du groupe AOP Health, explique : « Sur la base de données positives, notre plan est d’étendre le développement d’autres indications orphelines même en dehors de la LMA et du SMD à un stade ultérieur. Grâce à cet accord, nous pourrons peut-être élargir le portefeuille de nos domaines thérapeutiques en offrant encore plus d’options de traitement aux patients. »

Développement en coopération avec Leukos

Comme AOP Health se concentre sur les cancers hémato-oncologiques rares et possède de nombreuses années d’expérience dans le développement et la commercialisation de traitements hémato-oncologiques, la société pilotera le développement ultérieur de la substance en coopération avec Leukos sur la base d’un nouveau mode d’action. Cela pourrait potentiellement devenir une étape importante dans le traitement de nombreux cancers du sang et autres patients atteints de cancer. Luis Ruiz-Avila, PDG de Leukos Biotech : « Nous nous concentrons sur le développement de nouveaux traitements pour une grande variété de tumeurs. Nous sommes nés pour transformer l’excellente science de l’Institut de recherche sur la leucémie Josep Carreras en produits précieux pour les patients atteints de cancer dans le besoin, et cet accord est une étape très importante dans cette direction. Nous sommes convaincus qu’AOP Health est le bon partenaire pour transformer ce nouveau mécanisme d’action prometteur en une réalité clinique au profit des patients présentant une grande variété de besoins médicaux non satisfaits. »

À propos d’AOP Health

Le groupe AOP Health comprend plusieurs sociétés, dont AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH, dont le siège se trouve à Vienne, en Autriche (« AOP Health »). Le groupe AOP Health est le pionnier européen des thérapies intégrées pour les maladies rares et les soins critiques. Au cours des 25 dernières années, le groupe est devenu un fournisseur établi de solutions de thérapie intégrées opérant depuis son siège social à Vienne, ses filiales et ses bureaux de représentation à travers l’Europe et le Moyen-Orient, ainsi que par l’intermédiaire de partenaires dans le monde entier. Ce développement a été rendu possible par un niveau d’investissement continu élevé dans la recherche et le développement, d’une part, et par une orientation très cohérente et pragmatique vis-à-vis des besoins de toutes ses parties prenantes, d’autre part, en particulier les patients et leurs familles, ainsi que les professionnels de la santé qui les prennent en charge.

À propos de Leukos

Leukos Biotech, SL (Leukos) est une société dérivée de l’Institut de recherche sur la leucémie Josep Carreras, créée à Barcelone en 2015. La société développe de nouveaux traitements et outils de diagnostic pour une large variété de tumeurs ciblant le récepteur de la sérotonine HTR1B, dont le potentiel antitumoral a été décrit pour la première fois et breveté par le Dr Ruth Risueño, fondateur de Leukos dans son laboratoire à l’Institut de recherche Josep Carreras. Le principal soutien financier de Leukos provient d’investisseurs privés et institutionnels. Les principaux actionnaires sont Inveready, CDTI Innvierte et la Fondation Josep Carreras. Outre le soutien des investisseurs, Leukos a reçu des subventions et des prêts non dilutifs du gouvernement catalan, du gouvernement espagnol et de l’Union européenne dans le cadre de divers programmes.

À propos de la Fondation Josep Carreras

La Fondation Josep Carreras Leukaemia a été créée en 1988 dans le but de contribuer à la recherche d’un remède définitif pour cette maladie. Ses efforts se concentrent sur quatre domaines fondamentaux : l’administration du Registre espagnol de donneurs de moelle osseuse (REDMO), la recherche scientifique menée par l’Institut de recherche sur la leucémie Josep Carreras, l’orientation des patients via un canal de consultation des patients en ligne et des appartements d’accueil pour les patients qui ont besoin de subir un traitement et doivent passer beaucoup de temps loin de chez eux.

À propos de l’Institut de recherche sur la leucémie Josep Carreras

L’Institut de recherche sur la leucémie Josep Carreras, centre public appartenant au réseau CERCA de la Generalitat de Catalunya, a été créé en 2010 dans le but de promouvoir la recherche biomédicale et la médecine personnalisée dans le domaine de la leucémie et d’autres maladies onco-hématologiques. Il s’agit du premier centre de recherche européen exclusivement dédié à la leucémie et aux hémopathies malignes, et l’un des rares au monde. Les Instituts Josep Carreras disposent de trois campus scientifiques coordonnés mais indépendants : le Campus clinique de l’Hôpital de l’Université de Barcelone, le Campus de l’Institut catalan d’oncologie/allemands Trias i Pujol et le Campus de Sant Pau – Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB).

À propos d’Inveready

Inveready est un gestionnaire d’actifs alternatifs de premier plan en Espagne ; il investit dans le capital-risque en phase de démarrage, le capital-risque de croissance, la dette à risque, les actions stratégiques dans des sociétés cotées, les infrastructures et le capital-investissement privé. Il fournit des solutions de financement aux entreprises tout au long de leur cycle de vie. Fondée en 2008, Inveready compte sur 200 sociétés actives et plus d’un milliard d’euros d’actifs sous gestion. Inveready investit dans des entreprises du secteur des sciences de la vie depuis 2008. Les investissements notables dans ce secteur sont Atrys Health (cotée sur le marché espagnol), EDESA Biotech (cotée au Nasdaq), AVX Pharma (vendue à Aerie Biotech) et PaloBiofarma (accord de licence avec Novartis). Le siège social de la société se situe à San Sebastian et elle possède d’autres bureaux à Barcelone et Madrid. La société a été reconnue à plusieurs reprises par l’ASCRI et Preqin pour le rendement de ses fonds et de ses transactions (Pour plus d’informations, veuillez consulter le site www.inveready.com).

Mag Nina Roth, MAS
[email protected]

AOP Health
Besoins. Science. Confiance.

AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH
Membre du groupe AOP Health

Leopold-Ungar-Platz 2, 1190 Vienne, Autriche
aop-health.com

Des photographies accompagnant ce communiqué sont disponibles aux adresses :

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Zenas BioPharma Obtains IND Approval in China for Phase 1/2 Study of ZB001 for the Treatment of Thyroid Eye Disease  

WALTHAM, Mass and SHANGHAI, China, July 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zenas BioPharma, a global biopharmaceutical company committed to becoming a leader in the development and commercialization of immune-based therapies for patients in need around the world, announced that it has received approval of its Investigational New Drug (IND) application from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China for the initiation of a Phase 1/2 clinical study of ZB001 for the treatment of Thyroid Eye Disease (TED). The main objective of the Phase 1/2 is to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy of ZB001.

TED is a debilitating vison-threatening autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and fibrosis within the orbit of the eye. With no approved therapies for TED patients in China, treatment options are limited and often involve high doses of steroids associated with serious side effects or surgical intervention. ZB001 is a differentiated humanized monoclonal antibody targeting insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) intended for the treatment of TED.

“We are proud that the IND application for ZB001 was approved by the NMPA about two months following its submission, highlighting our team’s unique ability to efficiently execute on our development programs,” said Hua Mu, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer at Zenas. “We are excited to work with leading clinical experts in China to accelerate the development of ZB001 to address the significant unmet clinical need in thyroid eye disease.”

Zenas BioPharma licensed the exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize ZB001 (Viridian VRDN-001) and other compounds targeting IGF-1R in non-oncology indications in the greater China area from Viridian Therapeutics, Inc. (Viridian) in October 2020. After submitting an IND for VRDN-001 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October 2021, Viridian initiated a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in December 2021 to evaluate proof of concept in TED patients in North America and released encouraging interim healthy volunteer data suggesting robust activity with excellent safety and tolerability of the candidate product.

About Zenas BioPharma

Zenas BioPharma is a global biopharmaceutical company based in the USA and China committed to becoming a leader in the development and commercialization of immune-based therapies for patients in the US, China and around the world. Zenas is rapidly advancing a deep pipeline of innovative therapeutics that continues to grow through our successful business development strategy. Our experienced leadership team and network of business partners drive operational excellence to deliver potentially transformative therapies to improve the lives of those facing autoimmune and rare diseases. For more information about Zenas BioPharma, please visit www.zenasbio.com and follow us on Twitter at @ZenasBioPharma and LinkedIn.

Investor and Media Contact:
Joe Farmer
Zenas BioPharma
[email protected]

Limpopo launches Women’s Month 2022, 1 Aug

Limpopo Looks at Women’s Socio-Economic Rights and Empowerment During 2022 Women’s Month

The Limpopo Provincial Government will launch the 2022 National Women’s month activities under theme “Women’s Socio-Economic Rights and Empowerment: Building Back Better for Women’s Resilience” on 01 August 2022. The launch takes place with strategic focus to advance women’s socio-economic empowerment agenda towards the achievement of gender equality by 2030. This is in line with South Africa’s constitutional vision and government’s policy priorities as outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP) and the 2019-2024 Medium-Term Strategic Framework (MTSF).

In 2020, the United Nations global appraisal of progress made on twenty-five years of implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action highlighted that no country has yet achieved gender equality. The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this situation and even the limited gains made in the past decades are at risk of being rolled back.

The coronavirus pandemic deepened pre-existing inequalities, exposed vulnerabilities in social, political and economic systems which in turn amplified the impacts of the pandemic. During this period, there were also heightened levels of scourge of gender-based violence and femicide, children’s killings and it came to be known as the second pandemic.

In addition, climate change impacts on women and girls the most, especially those that are in vulnerable situations, locations and forms of employment.

Hence, the concentration on building back better so that women become resilient against negative impacts affecting their livelihoods. Government, society and partners are hard at work to reignite the socio-economic recovery to improve the lives of women and young girls. This year’s women’s month is a call to action to all of society, government and partners to take tangible steps forward in responding to the most persistent challenges affecting the lives of women and girls.

Source: Government of South Africa

Government unpacks actions to achieve Long-Term Energy Supply

Briefing to unpack actions to achieve Long-Term Energy Supply

Ministers who serve in the Energy Crisis Committee will brief the media following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation on Monday , 25 July 2022, to further outline measures to ensure long- term energy supply in South Africa.

Details of the briefing are as follows:

Date: Monday, 1 August 2022

Time: 15h30

Venue: GCIS – Ronnie Mamoepa Media Centre , Tshedimosetso House, 1035 Francis Baard Street, Hatfield in Pretoria

Media Participation: Journalists may view the briefing via live streaming on the South African Government social media channels. Links to be provided.

Source: Government of South Africa

Minister Barbara Creecy announces recipients of the Driving for Change II Youth Challenge, 2 Aug

Minister Creecy announces recipients of the Driving for Change II Youth Challenge

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Creecy, will announce 16 young green entrepreneurs in the Driving Force for Change (DFC) II Youth Challenge, during the award ceremony at Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg on 2 August 2022.

The DFC II Youth Challenge builds on the 2020 DFC Youth Initiative to create opportunities for young green entrepreneurs/Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) to access the much-needed business acumen support (develop early-stage entrepreneurship skills and competencies) and further develop/refine their businesses plans, respectively.

Minister Creecy launched Driving Force for Change II Youth Challenge in August 2021 in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), through the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) Programme, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUZ) and in collaboration with the Departments of Employment and Labour (DEL) and of Small Business Development (DSBD) and with support from the National Business Initiative (NBI).

Support provided through the DFC II Youth Challenge will assist South Africa’s young green entrepreneurs/SMMEs to advance green business enterprise development and invariably, an inclusive green economy agenda and create decent job opportunities. Youth entrepreneurs/SMMEs were invited to submit proposals within the following thematic areas:

Climate Change Mitigation:

• Best Greening of Manufacturing Sector SMME (resource efficiency: water, energy)

• Best Circular Economy – symbiosis/integrated waste management – recycling SMME.

Climate Change Adaptation:

• Most Innovative Ecosystem Service SMME

• Most Innovative Agriculture or Agro-processing SMME.

Cross–cutting:

• Eco-Tourism – SMME.

Source: Government of South Africa