Berlin Cures Welcomes Oliver von Stein as New CEO to Lead Next Phase of Innovation and Growth

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Jun 15, 2023, 05:23 ET

Phase II study for BC 007 in the indication Long COVID to start in June

BERLIN, June 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Berlin Cures, a biotechnology company specialized in neutralizing functional autoantibodies (fAABs), is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Oliver von Stein. He assumes the role with immediate effect and will work closely with Berlin Cures' co-founder Dr. Johannes Müller, who will hand over his CEO duties to drive the company's research activities as the new Chief Science Officer (CSO). Dr. Müller, an accomplished physician, researcher, and innovator, has been instrumental in the development of BC 007.

"We are excited to welcome Dr. Oliver von Stein as our new CEO to drive the next phase of innovation and growth at Berlin Cures," said Rainer Böhm, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "We aspire to establish ourselves as a leading global force in the neutralization of functional autoantibodies (fAABs). With over two decades of unwavering dedication to functional autoantibody research, we have successfully identified a biotechnology capable of effectively neutralizing fAABs. Our extensive research findings indicate that this platform technology holds immense potential in significantly alleviating or even curing a spectrum of diseases associated with fAABs, including Long COVID Syndrome (LCS), heart failure, and numerous others. By tackling the root cause, Berlin Cures emerges as one of the pioneering entities committed to addressing this critical issue."

Berlin Cures has received regulatory approvals to start a European multicenter Phase II clinical trial in the indication Long COVID with the molecule BC 007 and will begin the trial this June. With this important milestone in the development of BC 007 Berlin Cures will be able to obtain clinically meaningful and robust results on efficacy and tolerability of BC 007 with patients suffering from Long COVID. Initial results are expected in early 2024.

Dr. Oliver von Stein said: "I'm truly honored to be joining the esteemed team at Berlin Cures during this pivotal moment. As we embark on the Phase II study with BC 007 against Long COVID, the company is poised to enter a new phase of growth. Together, we will work towards achieving significant milestones in our mission to provide relief and cure for millions of patients afflicted by fAABs."

Dr. von Stein, the founder of InDex Pharmaceuticals, brings a wealth of expertise in the field of biotechnology with more than two decades of experience in driving scientific research and clinical development of nucleic-based drugs. He successfully oversaw the market success and out-licensing of several nucleic-based drugs and diagnostics. Prior to joining Berlin Cures, he held various leadership positions at AstraZeneca, OWKIN and other pharma companies, and served as COO at Silence Therapeutics. He completed his PhD in Molecular Biology at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

Dr. Johannes Mueller added: "I am very pleased to welcome Dr. Oliver von Stein to Berlin Cures. With his experience, we will have the leadership for the set goal of being able to include further indications with our BC 007 molecule in our treatment strategy for BC 007. I myself will be relieved by his commitment, which will give me the opportunity to shed more light on the scientific aspects related to the new therapeutic indications."

Rainer Böhm concluded: "On behalf of the whole board, I want to thank Dr. Johannes Müller for his tremendous work over the last decades – not only at Berlin Cures. As a leading expert in his field, his achievements have profoundly enriched scientific knowledge and his commitment to improving human health and alleviating suffering has been truly transformative. With his visionary leadership, he will further drive the highly important research activities at Berlin Cures in his capacity as CSO."

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. It was found effective in fAAB-positive healthy volunteers during the Phase I study and in heart failure patients in a Phase IIa trial. Its potential against Long COVID is indicated by lab data generated using sera from Long COVID patients, and four case studies. By potentially tackling the root cause of fAAB-associated diseases, this platform biotechnology signifies a pioneering approach in therapeutics. By tackling the root cause with this unique biotechnology, Berlin Cures emerges as one of the pioneering entities committed to addressing this critical issue at its core.

Starting in June 2023, Berlin Cures is absolving 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 of BC 007 with patients suffering from Long COVID.

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SOURCE Berlin Cures