EANS-News: DEWB Investment Holding NOXXON Announces Initiation of First Clinical Trial with a Spiegelmer®

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Berlin/Jena, Germany, 8 June 2009 (euro adhoc) - NOXXON Pharma AG
(NOXXON), an investment holding of Deutsche Effecten- und
Wechsel-Beteiligungsgesellschaft AG (DEWB), announced today the
successful initial dosing of healthy volunteers with Spiegelmer®
NOX-E36 in the company´s first-in-human clinical trial. The Phase I
program is currently underway in the United Kingdom following review
and approval of the Clinical Trial Application by the Medicines and
Health product Regulatory Authority (MHRA). The study will evaluate
the tolerability, safety and pharmacokinetics in up to 72 individuals
following intravenous and subcutaneous administration of
anti-inflammatory Spiegelmer® NOX-E36. The results obtained in the
Phase I trial will guide the Phase II program to be conducted in
patients suffering from nephropathy.

"With the initiation of this Phase I study, Spiegelmers® have reached
the next level of maturity", commented Dr. Frank Morich, Chief
Executive Officer of NOXXON. "This event marks NOXXON´s transition to
a clinical-stage company and represents a major milestone in our
continued effort to develop a pipeline of a novel and innovative
class of pharmaceuticals to address major medical needs."

"With its innovative Spiegelmer® technology NOXXON is one of the most
promising biotechnology companies", commented Bertram Köhler, Member
of the Management Board of DEWB and deputy chairman of NOXXON´s
supervisory board. "Entering the clinical trials and being first in
man with a Spiegelmer® is a tremendous success in the company´s
development and proofs the chosen strategy in 2006". Besides DEWB,
which holds the largest share in NOXXON, the group of investors
includes leading European venture capitalists in biotechnology - TVM
Capital, Sofinnova Partners and Edmond de Rothschild Investment
Partners.

Spiegelmers® (L-aptamers) are chemical entities based on synthetic
mirror-image oligonucleotides. Thanks to their unique mirror image
configuration Spiegelmers® are not metabolized and do not hybridize
with native DNA or RNA. Spiegelmers® also do not activate the innate
immune response via Toll-like receptors and have shown an
exceptionally favorable immunogenicity profile in pre-clinical
testing.

NOXXON´s lead compound NOX-E36 is a new therapeutic modality that
specifically targets the pro-inflammatory chemokine Monocyte
Chemotactic Protein 1 (MCP-1, also known as CCL2). Previously
completed experiments in various animal models of kidney disease
demonstrate that treatment with Spiegelmer® MCP-1 antagonists
significantly delays the decline in kidney function as well as
disease progression. NOXXON is planning to develop NOX-E36 for the
treatment of inflammatory kidney diseases including diabetic
nephropathy. Diabetic nephropathy is a growing public health threat
due to the high and continually growing incidence of type II
diabetes. Approximately thirty percent of patients diagnosed with
diabetes develop nephropathy; twenty percent of these patients suffer
from end stage renal disease. Diabetic nephropathy is the leading
cause for chronic kideny disease and dialysis treatment in the
Western world.

About NOXXON Pharma AG: Berlin-based NOXXON Pharma AG is a clinical
stage biotechnology company focusing on the development of
Spiegelmers® for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and
hematological indications. In addition to its in-house programs
NOXXON discovers and develops Spiegelmers® in collaboration with
partners from the pharmaceutical industry, including Eli Lilly,
Hoffmann La-Roche and Pfizer. Spiegelmers® (the German word "Spiegel"
means mirror) are chemical entities based on synthetic L-nucleic
acids. They are highly selective for their pharmacological target and
potent inhibitors of target function. The substance class exhibits
exceptional metabolic stability and an outstanding immunogenicity
profile - a new generation of improved therapeutics.

Contact:
Emmanuelle Delabre
NOXXON Pharma AG
Max-Dohrn-Strasse 8-10
10589 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 30 726247 100
FAX: +49 (0) 30 726247 225
Email: edelabre@noxxon.com
Website: www.noxxon.com

About DEWB Deutsche Effecten- und Wechsel- Beteiligungsgesellschaft
AG (DEWB AG, Prime Standard, Securities No.: 804100 / ISIN:
DE0008041005) is an investment company that specialises in young and
established medium-sized companies. The focus of our investments is
on strong growth companies from the areas of photonics and sensor
systems for which we provide support through shareholders' equity,
expertise in corporate development and our sector network. Our
regional focus lies in the German speaking countries (D, A, CH).
Since 1997 we have invested more than 355 million Euros in 55
companies and realized more than 420 million Euros through 36 exits,
eight of which were in the form of IPOs. The company is located in
Jena, one of the most successful technology and science regions in
Germany, with a long tradition in the field of optical technologies
and one of the most important European centres for photonics.

Contact:
Marco Scheidler
DEWB AG
Leutragraben 1
Germany, 07743 Jena
Tel: +49 (0) 3641 573 3600
Fax: +49 (0) 3641 573 3610
E-Mail: ir@dewb-vc.com
www.dewb-vc.com

end of announcement euro adhoc
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ots Originaltext: Deutsche Effecten- und Wechsel-Beteiligungsges. AG (DEWB)
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

Marco Scheidler

Tel.: +49 (0) 3641 573-3600

E-Mail: marco.scheidler@dewb-vc.com

Branche: Financial & Business Services
ISIN: DE0008041005
WKN: 804100
Index: CDAX, Classic All Share, Prime All Share
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Berlin / free trade
Stuttgart / free trade
München / free trade