FREISING-WEIHENSTEPHAN, Germany, September 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Pieris AG, a bio-pharmaceutical company developing Anticalins(R), a novel class of targeted human protein therapeutics, today announced successful completion of a series of preclinical studies validating the use of Anticalins(R) in ophthalmologic disease.
The studies reported by Pieris relate to PRS-055, an Anticalin(R) specific for VEGF. VEGF is a key factor in the regulation of neovascular permeability and is implicated in debilitating eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), proliferative diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity. Intravitreal injection of PRS-055 has been shown to inhibit VEGF-induced breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier in a rabbit in vivo model. The antagonistic effect of PRS-055 has been shown to be of equivalent potency to that of the approved ophthalmology product Lucentis(R) (ranibizumab; Genentech / Novartis).
"These exciting results have demonstrated that Anticalins(R) are viable candidates as potent biotherapeutics for diseases of the eye" said Dr Andreas Hohlbaum, Director of Science and Preclinical Development of Pieris. "Based on the success of the PRS-055 program to date, we are now selecting technologies for depot and/or non-invasive drug delivery that will exploit the favorable size and excellent stability characteristics of Anticalins(R)."
The preclinical data on PRS-055 will be presented on September 8th, 2007, at the IV. International Symposium of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG) in Baden-Baden, Germany.
Further information is available at http://www.pieris-ag.com
Anticalin(R) is registered trademark of Pieris AG.
For further information, please contact:
Pieris AG
Phone +49-(0)-8161-1411-400
Dr Andreas Hohlbaum,
Director of Science and Preclinical Research
For further information, please contact: Pieris AG, Phone +49-(0)-8161-1411-400, Dr Andreas Hohlbaum, Director of Science and Preclinical Research
