As a result of a successful expansion, NsGene A/S and Sophion Bioscience A/S have moved to a new joint domicile.
NsGene A/S and Sophion Bioscience A/S, established in 1999 and 2000 respectively, are two companies that emerged from two discovery programs at NeuroSearch A/S. During the past years both companies have expanded considerably in conjunction with the achievement of important scientific and technologic milestones. Until now, the companies have been located in NeuroSearch's domicile. However, as a result of the promising achievements and the need for expansion, NsGene and Sophion have moved to 4,000 m2 premises in Ballerup in the previous offices of Skanska Danmark. The new laboratory facilities and offices make further expansion possible.
NsGene has R&D programs within cell and gene therapy focusing on the treatment of neurological diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.
These two very common diseases are characterized by a degeneration of nerve cells. NsGene focuses on the development of novel treatments, in the form of either new cells, which are being implanted as a replacement for the degenerated nerve cells or cell based products releasing neurothropic factors implanted to protect the patients' nerve cells.
The company possesses an advanced capsule technology developed for the implantation of encapsulated cells, which secrete growth factors that prevent degeneration of nerve cells in patients with e.g. Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, NsGene possesses a considerable stem cell program and the company collaborates with world-leading researchers to develop new cell products for implantation.
NsGene collaborates with the American biotech company Biogen Inc. regarding the development of NsGene's nerve growth factor - Neublastin - for the treatment of diseases in the peripheral nerve system. Biogen has license to develop and market Neublastin for which NsGene receives up to 20 million USD in milestone payments as well as royalties of a future sale. Biogen carries out and finances all development.
NsGene has an extensive and exclusive collaboration with the University of Lund, Sweden, which is considered world leading with respect to implantation of cells in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Today NsGene has 27 employees in total.
Sophion Bioscience develops automatic chip-based electrophysiological equipment for the measurement and characterization of the function of ion channels in living cells. Today this technique - the so-called patch clamp technique - is conducted manually in all companies that focus on ion channels in drug development.
Sophion's first product - QPatch16 - is expected on the market during the second half of 2003. QPatch16 will be the first generation of products that can perform fully automated electrophysiological ion channel measurement on silicon chips.
Sophion will produce both automatic measurement equipment and consumables based on microtechnology. The equipment can be used in all parts of the drug development process, from early screening to the final characterization of a drug candidate. It is expected to lead to more marketed drugs modulating ion channels and considerable reductions both in time and costs of drug development.
Sophion has 32 employees.
Asger Aamund Chairman
NeuroSearch A/S
Contact:
NsGene: Teit E. Johansen, CEO
Tel.: +45 44 60 89 00
Contact:
Sophion Bioscience: Torsten Freltoft, CEO
Tel.: +45 44 60 88 11
Contact:
NeuroSearch: Henrik Moltke, Investor Relations
Tel.: +45 44 60 82 12
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