Berlin Cures announces changes to Board of Directors to further propel the development of BC 007

• Berlin Cures announces the appointment of Craig T. Basson, Gerrard Terlouw, and Oliver von Stein to its Board of Directors, succeeding Ulf Berg, Georg Nederegger, and Johannes Müller.
• New board members will strengthen preparation for the Long COVID Phase II trial data read-out and shape the future development strategy, as well as business development and licensing.
• Cardiovascular disease and Long COVID remain strategic priorities, with the in-house platform technology offering further opportunities.

Berlin, Germany, 26 June 2024 – Berlin Cures, a pioneer in the use of aptamer-based therapeutics in autoimmune diseases, announced important changes to its Board of Directors today. The aim is to further drive the development of the company’s lead drug candidate BC 007, currently in a Phase II clinical trial for Long COVID. Berlin Cures welcomes three distinguished new members who bring a wealth of knowledge and strategic insight to its board of directors:

Craig T. Basson, MD, PhD, is a renowned physician-scientist with more than 25 years of experience in cardiovascular medicine. His research and leadership roles in the pharmaceutical industry have provided him with extensive experience in drug development with a particular focus on cardiovascular disease. Gerrard Terlouw, PhD, MBA is an experienced corporate and business development executive with more than 20 years of leadership experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He has a proven track record of successful licensing and acquisition deals across multiple therapeutic areas. In addition, Berlin Cures’ CEO Oliver von Stein, PhD, will join the Board of Directors, bringing his extensive management experience from various executive roles in the pharmaceutical industry and from leading Berlin Cures as CEO.

Following these new appointments, Ulf Berg, Johannes Müller and Georg Nederegger will step down from the Board of Directors with immediate effect after many successful years. Johannes Müller will continue in his role as Chief Science Officer as part of Berlin Cures' management team and will continue to drive the company's research activities.

“We are delighted to welcome Craig Basson, Gerrard Terlouw and Oliver von Stein to our Board of Directors. Their invaluable experience in clinical development, immunology, cardiovascular disease and business development will be instrumental as we continue to advance our BC 007 platform. Together, we are poised to make a significant impact on the lives of patients worldwide”, states Rainer Böhm, Chairman of the Board of Berlin Cures. “On behalf of the entire board and management team, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Ulf Berg, Johannes Müller, and Georg Nederegger for their vital support over the past years. Their expertise and guidance have been instrumental in achieving Berlin Cures' latest milestones, such as the current trials in Long COVID and heart failure. As we remain in close contact, we will continue to benefit from their experience and advice.”

Berlin Cures is at the forefront of developing innovative aptamer-based drugs to neutralize pathogenic functional autoantibodies (fAABs) that contribute to a variety of autoimmune diseases, including Long COVID, heart failure, glaucoma, ME/CFS and many more. The company’s lead drug candidate BC 007 (Rovunaptabin) targets these harmful fAABs and hence has the potential to address the root cause of various autoimmune diseases. The company is currently conducting a Phase II trial with BC 007 in the indication Long COVID, with initial results expected in Q4 2024, and has already completed a Phase IIa study with BC 007 in heart failure.

In parallel, Berlin Cures is preparing for a subsequent Phase III study in Long COVID which will be crucial for market approval. The company is actively seeking funding partners to be able to initiate Phase III as soon as possible following a successful outcome of Phase II.

Please find further information about the Board of Directors here.

About Berlin Cures:
The Berlin Cures team has dedicated over two decades to the research of functional autoantibodies (fAABs) and has successfully identified a molecule capable of effectively neutralizing these. Promising preclinical results have been observed for BC 007. In a recently completed Phase IIa trial with patients with chronic heart failure, BC 007 demonstrated long-term autoantibody neutralization after a single dose resulting in significant improvement in cardiac function. Its potential as an effective therapy for Long COVID was realized when tests on sera from Long COVID patients proved positive for fAABs, supported by clinical observations in four case studies. By addressing the underlying cause of fAAB-associated diseases with this unique biotechnology, Berlin Cures emerges as one of the pioneering entities committed to addressing this critical issue at its core.

Berlin Cures is currently running a Phase II clinical trial with BC 007 in the indication Long COVID, an acute and escalating global health problem, to obtain meaningful and robust results on efficacy and tolerability. Initial results are expected in Q4 2024.

Contact:
FGS Global
E-Mail: berlincures-eu@fgsglobal.com