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AM-Pharma B.V.

Biopharmaceutical AM-Pharma Announces Successful Financing

Bunnik, The Netherlands (ots/PRNewswire)

- Three Lead Compounds are Progressing Into Next Clinical Phase
AM-Pharma B.V., a privately owned biopharmaceutical company,
engaged in the pre-clinical and early clinical development of novel
compounds to treat infectious and inflammatory diseases and their
consequences, announces that a major B-financing round has been
successfully completed. The company attracted two leading venture
capital firms to invest a total of EUR 9 million of which Inventages
Venture Capital Investments Inc. committed EUR 6 MIO and ABN-AMRO
Life Sciences Capital EUR 3 million. AM-Pharma acquired an additional
EUR 2 million via a Dutch government research grant through
SenterNovem in April 2005. The company will employ the investment for
advancing several of its development projects through clinical trials
phase II.
Dr. Bruno Giannetti, President & Chief Executive of AM-Pharma: "We
are extremely excited about this investment, which will allow us to
take our three lead compounds into the next clinical phase on their
way to become safe and efficacious treatments, targeting large
markets with a high medical need. We are fully dedicated to further
develop the respective programs towards successful completion, which
will add significant value to the company. The research and
development strength of AM-Pharma and its partners is dedicated to
establish unique technology platforms to generate several follow-up
proprietary compounds".
AM-Pharma lead projects: AM-Pharma's lead compounds have been
acquired through the Dutch academic environment, where AM-Pharma is
currently expanding its already extensive network. Internal research
efforts are primarily devoted to the development and further
evaluating of new product candidates. The company operates in the
segments of opportunistic fungal and bacterial infections, sepsis and
ulcerative colon disease, offering products that address genuine
unmet medical needs. Two of the leading projects for AM-Pharma are
based on an antimicrobial peptide from Human Lactoferrin and on
Bovine Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase.
An antimicrobial peptide from Human Lactoferrin has shown
excellent pre-clinical in vivo efficacy data and has proven safe in a
Phase I clinical studies. AM-Pharma initially develops this peptide
for the prevention of infections in patients undergoing allogeneic
bone marrow stem cell transplantation. High post-operative rates of
severe infection and mortality allow for establishment of early
clinical proof-of-principle and a possible fast track regulatory
approval under an Orphan Drug Designation.
Bovine Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase is being developed for
sepsis treatment and has successfully passed toxicology as well as
Phase I clinical studies. The first Phase II clinical study on
therapeutic safety and efficacy was initiated on August 2004.
AM-Pharma has recently initiated a third line of development, using
Alkaline Phosphatase in the treatment of patients with Inflammatory
Bowel Disease. Phase I has successfully been completed and a Phase II
trial in patients will commence before the end of 2005.
Dr. Robert Schier, Partner of Inventages Venture Capital:
"AM-Pharma has built a strong pipeline of peptide- and protein-based
products with novel mechanism of action utilizing its intensive
network in the scientific community of the Netherlands. We believe
that the company will be able to transform its current platform into
safe and efficacious solutions for underserved and underdeveloped
markets to prevent and treat major diseases."
Mr. Bart Bergstein, Executive Director and Head of ABN-AMRO
Capital Life Sciences Team:
"At the end of this year, AM-Pharma will have three drugs in Phase
2 clinical trials, which underpins the maturity of the pipeline. The
next two years will be very exciting, given the expected data flow
from these trials. The orphan drug status provides quick access to
registration, while the market potential of each of the drugs is
substantial. This makes AM-Pharma an attractive late stage investment
opportunity."
More Information:
AM-Pharma is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company based in
Bunnik, the Netherlands. The company's business is focused on the
preclinical and early clinical development of novel compounds in the
field of severe infectious diseases and their consequences, as well
as inflammatory diseases. AM-Pharma currently employs 15 staff (13
FTE's) and an additional 10 people are indirectly working at
different academic institutions on projects financed by AM-Pharma.
Inventages Venture Capital is a fund management company
specialized in life sciences with business offices in the Bahamas,
Switzerland and New Zealand that currently manages five funds with a
total volume of approx. EUR 1 billion. The first fund was a classical
pharmaceutical and red biotech fund. Funds two to five with a strong
focus on prevention have been raised between 2002 and 2005 with
strategic partners as cornerstone investors, e.g. Nestlé SA.
Inventages concentrates on selective investments in the field of
disease prevention and chronic disease management. Portfolio
companies are intensively supported and can leverage the deep
business experiences and strong relationships of the Inventages'
partners within the global pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food and
biotech industries.
ABN AMRO Capital Life Sciences is the venture arm of ABN AMRO Bank
N.V. of the Netherlands. ABN AMRO Capital Life Sciences builds and
finances life sciences companies that develop world-class technology
with a clear focus on products for major markets. Of particular
interest are businesses capable of improving the diagnosis and
treatment of disease, as well as companies with technologies that
accelerate drug discovery and development. Over the past 7 years,
through investments in more than 30 companies in both Europe and the
US, the ABN AMRO Capital Life Sciences team has achieved considerable
success and above average returns.
This release contains forward-looking statements that are not
based on historical facts. These forward-looking statements involve
risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual
results, events or developments to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking
statements.

Contact:

For further information about AM-Pharma, please contact Bart Bierman
(AM-Pharma COO&CMO) on +31(0)30-228-9-224, email
b.bierman@am-pharma.com or visit the company's website at
www.AM-Pharma.com