Press release

Biotest AG joins the Biopharma consortium NEU²

Kiel/Hamburg, 24th February 2011: Bionamics GmbH is pleased to announce that Biotest AG, a pharmaceutical company based in Dreieich, Germany, joined the NEU² consortium as a full member. Within NEU², Biotest is heading a collaborative drug development project which is scheduled for three years and funded proportionally by The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung – BMBF).

The objective of the project is the preclinical and initial clinical evaluation of BT-061 for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). This compound is developed by Biotest primarily for the indications rheumatoid arthritis and chronic plaque psoriasis with promising efficacy, safety and tolerability data so far. The company obtained initial positive preclinical data showing considerable potential for the treatment of MS due to the immunmodulatory mechanism of action of BT-061. Pre-clinical analyses which will be conducted within the consortium are aimed at preparing for clinical proof-of-concept trials.

Dr. Timm Jessen, CEO of Bionamics GmbH and founder of NEU², about the expansion of the NEU² consortium: “Biotest is an attractive new partner for the consortium and further validates our new approach to improve the efficiency in drug development in Germany. We are proud to support this project within the NEU² context; Biotest with its know-how and its position in the market is an attractive enrichment for NEU².”

About Biotest AG

Biotest is a provider of pharmaceutical and biotherapeutic drugs as well as reagents and systems for microbiology. With a value added chain that extends from pre-clinical and clinical development to worldwide sales, Biotest has specialised primarily in the areas of application of immunology and haematology. In its Plasma Protein segment, Biotest develops and markets immunoglobulins, coagulation factors and albumins based on human blood plasma. These are used for diseases of the immune and haematopoietic systems. In the Biotherapeutic segment, Biotest researches into the clinical development of monoclonal antibodies, including in the indications of rheumatoid arthritis and cancer of plasma cells. The products of the Microbiological Monitoring segment are primarily used in hygiene monitoring. Biotest has more than 1,900 employees worldwide. The preference shares of Biotest AG are listed in the SDAX on the Frankfurt stock exchange.

About NEU²

The NEU² consortium, including, amongst others, Merck KGaA, Evotec AG, European ScreeningPort GmbH, Bionamics GmbH, and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf was successful in the nationwide “BioPharma” strategy competition of The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung – BMBF). The “BioPharma” strategy competition aims to promote innovative partnerships between academic institutions, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in order to strengthen the pharmaceutical value chain in Germany. The NEU² consortium focuses on the development of novel therapies against neurological diseases with a specific focus on multiple sclerosis. The NEU² consortium is coordinated by Bionamics GmbH (Bionamics), an independent project management company and founder of NEU².

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