Dr. Eberhard Amtmann and Dr. Marc Rösel at the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (German Cancer Research Center) have collaborated with chemist Dr. Otto Schuster to found BioSphings AG, a new biotechnology company. The Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum will have shares in BioSphings. Dr. Otto Schuster is a managing director with PAZ GmbH in Frankfurt and specializes in drug development. The aim of the new company is to develop innovative drugs against cancer, viral infections, and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sklerosis, rheumatism, and Crohn’s disease.
The scientists involved have many years of experience in the fields of signal transduction, immunology, and drug development. The treatment approaches followed by BioSphings are aimed at new drug targets from enzymes called phosholipases, which take part in the lipid metabolism. These could facilitate highly targeted therapies with little side effects.
BioSphings owns several innovative drug patents. A drug against the herpex simplex virus, which causes painful blisters around the mouth and in the genital area, has already successfully passed Phase I and II clinical studies. This drug intervenes specifically in the activation mechanism of herpes viruses. Approval and marketing of the drug are expected within the next three to four years.
The new biotech company does not intend to market their own drugs. Therefore, BioSphings has now entered into licensing negotiations with potential cooperation partners in the pharmaceutical industry.
About DKFZ
With more than 3,000 employees, the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) is Germany’s largest biomedical research institute. DKFZ scientists identify cancer risk factors, investigate how cancer progresses and develop new cancer prevention strategies. They are also developing new methods to diagnose tumors more precisely and treat cancer patients more successfully. The DKFZ's Cancer Information Service (KID) provides patients, interested citizens and experts with individual answers to questions relating to cancer.
To transfer promising approaches from cancer research to the clinic and thus improve the prognosis of cancer patients, the DKFZ cooperates with excellent research institutions and university hospitals throughout Germany:
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT, 6 sites)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, 8 sites)
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ) Heidelberg
- Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON Mainz) - A Helmholtz Institute of the DKFZ
- DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim
- National Cancer Prevention Center (jointly with German Cancer Aid)
The DKFZ is 90 percent financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and 10 percent by the state of Baden-Württemberg. The DKFZ is a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers.